Your PUD PUD News Line

8/7/2007

Commissioners want to hear from you

Following four communitywide strategic planning sessions, PUD commissioners have set a new financial direction that includes rate increases for electric, water, sewer and fiber-optic services. Meetings to discuss the potential rate increases have been set for Aug. 13-15.

With the goal of putting the District on firmer financial ground for the next five years, commissioners have proposed raising electric rates by 5 percent; water and sewer rates by 9 percent; and the wholesale fiber-optic rates charged to service providers by 2 percent.

The rate increase proposals followed 10 months of study, analysis and recommendations from staff.

If approved, the proposed rates would go into effect in January 2008 and be reconsidered each year. The need for electric rate increases is forecast through 2010 (possibly 2011) and for water and sewer through 2012.

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PUD commissioners this week approved an exchange of 0.23 acres of surplus PUD land for a 1.08-acre parcel of city of Wenatchee land that will accommodate a larger electrical substation to serve growth in the riverfront area. A decision on the land exchange was delayed last week after Commissioner Werner Janssen moved to make the exchange contingent on having the city and the owners of the Ninth Street trailer park find new homes for trailer park residents who will be displaced by development of a new road through the riverfront area. Janssen, who participated in the meeting by telephone from out of town, on Monday said that the PUD needs to start considering the social impacts of its decisions.

After hearing Commission President Norm Gutzwiler remind them of the PUD’s mission to provide utility products and services at low cost consistent with a high level of quality, reliability and customer satisfaction, PUD commissioners voted 3-1 against adding any contingency to the land exchange. Janssen was the vote in favor.

Wenatchee Mayor Dennis Johnson explained to the board how the city had been working with the PUD for two to three years on the land exchange that would accommodate the larger substation and improve the housing density in the area as called for in the Growth Management Act. He pointed out that finding new homes for the trailer park residents was a separate issue from going ahead with the land swap.

After brief discussion, commissioners approved the land exchange on a 4-0 vote.

Plans for a second underwater cable to carry electricity from Manson across Lake Chelan to the south shore moved forward last week with commission approval to buy 3,400 feet of power line.

Installing a second cable was found to be the most cost-effective way to increase reliability and meet load growth. The existing transmission line was installed in the 1980s. It delivers electricity to about 850 PUD customers and is at capacity.

The new line will lie about 200 feet deep along the same route as the existing line, running from Manson to near the yacht club on the south shore of Lake Chelan. Installation is scheduled for spring 2008, pending approval of permits.