EDC set to make PUD pitch
Presentation Tuesday to suggest priorities for utility's future
MOSES LAKE — As the Grant County Public Utility District approaches the milestone end of its 50-year license for operating the Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project and seeks a second, the Grant County Economic Development Council would like to know the PUD's future priorities and offer a few of their own.
Wednesday, at the Port of Moses Lake conference room, about 30 people listened in as Larry D. Peterson, a commissioner of Port of Moses Lake and member of the GCEDC, presented a few of the questions and recommendations he plans to share with the PUD next week.
In a few months, on Oct. 31, the PUD's current power sales contracts are set to expire — months before a new operating license could be issued — and new power sales contracts will begin. At that time, more power is going to be available to Grant County and will be less expensive, according to Peterson.
Currently, about 50 percent of Grant County's power load comes from sources other than the PUD. Most of that non-PUD power is purchased from the Bonneville Power Administration. After the current power sales contracts terminate, very little of the county's power load will be derived from BPA and others, Peterson said.
Because of this change, the GCEDC will be posing questions to the PUD Tuesday at 11 a.m. prior to the regular board of commissioner's meeting in Ephrata.
Peterson and GCEDC are prepared to ask what policy and rate changes should be made as a result of the changes in power supply.
"In the final analysis, they need to make some decisions on electric rates, and primarily industrial rates, which are going to be different than what exist right now," Peterson said. "They have the opportunity to encourage things to happen without adversely effecting existing ratepayers, and that's the real opportunity."
The GCEDC is also determined to know the PUD board of commissioners plan for future growth in Grant County. The possibility that Wanapum and Priest Rapids Dams may not always have the output to sustain that future growth may force the development or acquisition of additional resources.
"They also need to think about the future direction of Grant County. This change in power supply that happens Nov. 1 presents some real opportunities for them to help the county grow in a positive way," Peterson said. "How they do that and what they believe should happen to the county is really important."
As a recommendation to the PUD, Peterson says that a workshop at the Advanced Technologies Education Center at Big Bend Community College in early July would provide PUD staff and customers from the different rate classes a chance to meet and collaborate on plans for the future.
"It is a good suggestion to get all of the stake-holders somehow involved in the process," said Lon Topaz, manager of industrial and energy services for the PUD. "What you're really asking for is for people to step up and make reasonable accommodations to one another."
Additionally, Peterson will ask that the PUD have specific options and recommendations addressing the GCEDC's questions by early August. By the end of August, he would like to receive specific policy and rate decisions from the PUD.
According to Craig Jungers, with Internet service provider Network Essentials, who attended Wednesday's meeting, "This is going to be a complex issue and it's going to take longer than we've got. My guess is that the PUD may make some decisions, but they won't make all the decisions, and that we're going to see some continuation of the rate plans, because that's the easiest thing to do right now."