Your PUD
News Release
Staff recommends timeline for rate hearings
Chelan County PUD
News Release
6/18/2007
Director of Customer Service John Stoll reviewed with commissioners Monday their decisions made at last Monday’s strategic planning session on rates, potential surcharges and policies related to fees and discounts.
Stoll recommended a timetable to prepare for the planned rate increases, including public meetings in Chelan, Leavenworth and Wenatchee the week of Aug. 6-10, with an official rate hearing on Aug. 27 at the PUD board room.
With the goal of putting the District on firmer financial ground for the next five years, commissioners have directed staff to start the process for raising electric rates annually by 5 percent; water and sewer rates by 9 percent; and the wholesale fiber-optic rates charged to service providers by 2 percent. The new rates would go into effect Jan. 1, 2008.
A study to determine how much it costs to serve each customer will be conducted in 2008.
While noting the board’s decision that a surcharge would be used as a way to manage risk and volatility, Stoll also recommended using a public notice process whenever a surcharge is necessary.
He also detailed the discounts available to low-income disabled and low-income seniors. As rates increase, the discounts also increase at the same rate. There are also other discount programs available from the PUD through the Community Action Council.
In other business, PUD commissioners:
- Received a ceremonial drum from members of the Okanagan Nation Alliance as appreciation for assistance with a program to reintroduce sockeye to Skaha Lake in British Columbia. Commission President Norm Gutzwiler reciprocated the Okanagan gift with a signed copy of Bill Layman’s book, “River of Memory.” The sockeye program was launched by the Okanagan Nation Alliance to return the fish after a 50-year absence to the lake, part of the Okanagan River system. The juvenile fish migrate into the U.S. Okanogan River and then the Columbia past PUD dams on their way to the ocean. In 2005, Chelan County PUD agreed to enhance sockeye runs in the Okanogan Basin as part of Habitat Conservation Plans for Rock Island and Rocky Reach dams. The PUD committed to the program for eight years, along with Grant County PUD, with a check-in at four years to make sure the program is on course.
- Heard a presentation about the PUD hatchery program, which is linked to the Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) for Rocky Reach and Rock Island. PUD hatchery obligations came first in the 1960s, and obligations continue through the HCPs that extend through 2052. Hatchery production of young fish accounts for 7 percent of the goal of having no net impact on young salmon and steelhead passing PUD dams. The program is a cost-effective investment that protects fish and allows the PUD to avoid spilling water, holding down the cost of generating electricity.
- Confirmed a public hearing to consider a petition to form a local utility district (LUD) in the Monitor area for domestic water service. The hearing will be at 7 p.m., June 25 at the Wenatchee Headquarters Auditorium.
- Authorized an agreement with the United States Geological Survey to jointly fund a study of ground water temperatures at the aquifer near Rocky Reach Dam. The water from the area is used by Chelan County PUD hatchery operations, and must be at certain temperatures to be successful.
- Approved repeating a study to monitor raptors after last year’s construction of the transmission line over Burch Mountain from Rocky Reach Dam to Andrew York Substation near Monitor. The preconstruction radar study showed that only 5 percent of raptors flew at or under the elevation of the power lines, about 30 meters. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife required the surveys under terms of an easement to use state land for sections of the transmission line.
- Approved a statement of principle to start working on a memorandum of understanding with Chelan County and the Port of Chelan County for projects that might benefit from collaboration by all three agencies.
- Heard how the PUD’s water conservation efforts will count under state law. The water-use efficiency rule went into effect Jan. 22 of this year, requiring that water providers meet certain conservation standards. Though the PUD must make some changes to comply with the law (as well as encouraging customers to conserve water and stop leaks), the utility’s use of automated water meters and water conservation programs like Xeriscape, or low-water-use landscaping, will help meet the law’s requirements. A draft plan will be posted to the PUD’s Web site and comments are requested. A public hearing is set for July 9 for board approval of the plan.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission is at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 25. The meeting will continue at 7 p.m. in the Headquarters Auditorium to consider a petition to form a local utility district in the Monitor area for domestic water service.
Commissioners have set special meetings for May through July to attend customer partnership group meetings. They will meet at 1:30 p.m., June 21 with the Chelan Customer Partnership Group at Campbell's Resort.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at http://www.chelanpud.org/
Christy Shearer
Communications Audio-visual Specialist
Chelan County PUD
509.661.4258 office
509.421.4258 cell
509.661.8133 fax
christy.shearer@chelanpud.org