Your PUD
News Release
Monitor water project sees cost-savings
Chelan County PUD
News Release
3/10/2008
Chelan County PUD commissioners heard from staff, Monday, that due to a 20-percent reduction in cost, the new Monitor domestic water system will no longer qualify for one of the grants secured to make the installation possible. But average monthly bills should be $2 to $2.50 per month lower.
The $1.3 million cost reduction is due to a lower-than-expected construction bid and internal administrative costs that are less than expected. As a result, the project no longer qualifies for a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Grant. Commissioners approved a motion to terminate the 2007 letter of conditions for the grant. They also reduced the PUD’s maximum contribution of internal services from $800,000 to $483,134.
The new project cost is $5.27 million from a combination of grants and loans. About one quarter of the water main has already been installed, and work is going smoothly and on schedule. The project is expected to be completed by mid-September.
Staff and Monitor residents praised the work of contractor Buno Construction.
Cindy Russell, Monitor councilwoman, thanked PUD commissioners for their part in the project and said the construction has been a pleasant surprise.
Jack Pusel, Monitor resident, also thanked the board and said Buno is doing a very professional job and that more people are signing up for water services than initially indicated.
Lake Chelan project benefits from environmental attributes
Commissioners approved a plan to sell environmental credits from the Lake Chelan Hydro Project that will earn about $200,000 in revenue for the PUD.
The sale of the “green” attributes is possible because the Lake Chelan Project is certified as low-impact hydro by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute. Buying the credits allows other companies to offset other kinds of power production.
Stehekin power generation being improved
Randy Lowe, executive manager of Energy Resources, told the board work is progressing well on improvements to the generating systems at Stehekin, the small community at the head of Lake Chelan.
A new Pelton wheel will be installed in the next few weeks, and the old, repaired Pelton wheel will be kept as a backup. In addition, new diesel generators are being acquired for backup.
In other business commissioners:
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Consolidated multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture contracts into a single task authorization agreement. The agreement will cover USDA work for pikeminnow control, avian predation control and nuisance animal control around Rock Island and Rocky Reach projects now, and could be used for other USDA work in the future.
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Agreed to share costs with other Mid-Columbia PUDs to bring Dr. Patrick Moore to the area this summer to speak on environmental issues.
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Heard from George Wilson, a Lake Wenatchee resident, on water quality issues at the lake. He thanked commissioners for their interest in the issues and encouraged them to attend a meeting on the subject, March 29, put on by the Chelan County Dept. of Natural Resources.
- Changed the meeting time for the March 24 commission meeting to start at 9 a.m. to accommodate a lengthy agenda.
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PUD commissioners will hold a special meeting to attend a Chelan Customer Partnership Group meeting, noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, March 13, at Campbell’s Resort, 104 W. Woodin Ave., Chelan.
The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will begin at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 17, 2008, in the boardroom at PUD headquarters, 327. N. Wenatchee Ave.
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/.
Jeri Freimuth
Chelan County PUD
(509) 661-4504
(509) 668-0267 cell
Jeri.freimuth@chelanpud.org