Your PUD Message from the Commissioners

It’s a year to prepare for the worst but hope for the best

By Dennis Bolz, PUD commission president

1/5/2010

Your Chelan County PUD expects another busy year in 2010. The budget is set around the concept of “preservation” -- 7 percent less than the budget for 2009. This means that we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

Finances will remain tight for 2010 and 2011. As we enter 2012, a number of older long-term contracts will expire, and we will have a return of more of our energy to sell into the market. We will be developing strategies for taking some of the risk out of our power sales and concentrate more on stable and predictable revenue.

Our finance and energy resource departments are involved in developing financial and power marketing plans for the next five to 20 years. We know that plans must be flexible as markets and times change, but planning provides us with a positive direction. 

At the same time, we will be involved in strategic planning with our communities to respond to what you have told us is important in your future. We have scientifically surveyed the community, interviewed identified community leaders, our employees and our customer base to find out, as our revenue picture improves, what it is that you value.

Chelan PUD will take what you have told us and what is known by the organization and develop plans to prudently manage our debt, look at the development of other “rainy day” funds, tend to the needs of an aging infrastructure and deploy capital in a disciplined manner in keeping with the goals of rate and financial stability. We will identify structural improvements such as renovation plans to improve the efficiency of our operations and increase the volume of our electric output.

Your commission will be looking at ways to improve our governance and structure so that we may continue to grow in our leadership role. We will be working with management to secure a sustainable mission and vision for the PUD as we respond to challenges.

We hear from you that we are doing better, and we appreciate that. Our commitment is to continually improve, be more responsible and responsive. It is our goal to grow into the future in a sound and prudent manner. As always, we appreciate your help and suggestions.