Grant County PUD gets dam licenses

PUD must spend $1 billion in work over next 44 years

EPHRATA - After a complicated application process spanning five years, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decided on Thursday to allow a new 44-year license for the Priest Rapids Project.

The new license means Grant County PUD can keep running and owning the Wanapum Dam and Priest Rapids Dam on the Columbia River. The power-producing project is the second largest in the nation.

The license means the PUD will spend more than $1 billion over 44 years to "further improve dam operations and work to protect resources while optimizing power output from the project," according to the PUD's statement.

The work will help protect the environment and improve energy efficiency, but will increase the dams' power costs. It's not known how much costs will increase, as Grant County PUD commissioners are now taking part in rates discussions, said Dorothy Harris, a utility spokesperson.

The PUD maintains the power from the dams will still cost less than alternative energy sources.

The PUD met its last licensing requirements in February by pledging to help protect salmon and steelhead in "a number of additional measures coming forward," said Harris. Specifics of the future fish measures weren't immediately available Thursday.

Current fish protection measures include a new fish bypass system at Wanapum Dam, turbine replacements at Wanapum Dam and fish studies and fish mitigation work at Nason Creek in Chelan County, Harris said.

"Grant PUD earned this license because of our strong record of stewardship," stated the PUD's General Manager Tim Culbertson. "Our relicensing effort was a collaborative process that resulted in agreements, settlements and a broadly supported plan to protect and enhance all resources along the river. This accomplishment honors the legacy and forethought of those that had the vision to build these dams and provides a clear road map for the future."

With the new license, 70 percent of the project power is reserved for local use if needed, while the remaining power is sold to 23 other Northwest utilities, Harris said. The former license only allowed the PUD to keep 32 percent of project power generation.

Harris said the extra available power "will be a great looking to the future piece" to know it is there if needed.

"A new license will mean continued operations and maintenance while staying committed to meet the needs for all resources and people which will include the Wanapum, this I believe," stated Wanapum Tribal Leader Rex Buck.