Grant PUD discusses energy plans

Conservation, focus on renewable sources slated

MOSES LAKE - More than 70 people packed the meeting room at the Moses Lake Fire Station to learn more about how Grant County PUD plans to meet its future energy needs.

The town hall meeting held this week resulted from a state-required integrated resource plan the utility filed with the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development in August.

The plan is considered a tool and is subject to change, said Andrew Munro, the utility's external affairs director, on Thursday.

Grant PUD Power Management Director Kevin Nordt gave a presentation about the utility's current power portfolio, long-term resource planning and resource recommendations.

Munro said the PUD's recommendations are to expand conservation and energy efficiency efforts as well as provide clean energy resources. The clean energy resources will provide long-term firm energy for customers, he added.

Conservation efforts include a future legislative proposal to help pay to install solar water heaters in homes and businesses, he said.

Firm energy resources are another priority. The PUD has plans to pursue biomass energy using in-county agricultural waste as fuel and pursuing hydrokinetic energy from in-county canals, Monro noted.

Looking into natural gas cogeneration in Grant County is another recommendation by the PUD, he said.

The PUD also recommended a retail energy solution, which assists customers with a small-scale energy project, such as home-based net metered solar power.

During his presentation, Nordt said growth is the biggest driver at this time.

Thirty-eight percent of the power output from the Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project is tied up in power sales contracts and a maximum of 62 percent can be taken from the project, he said.

Grant PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson said global warming and climate change will result in upward pressure on rates, with billion dollar impacts on the West Coast.

Culbertson said he's hearing the increase could add a range of $20 to $40 per megawatt on the open market in the region if a cap and trade system is implemented. The system would be aimed at reducing greenhouse gases.

He later said at the meeting the Western Climate Initiative is being developed by people who aren't working in public power. So the utility doesn't know for sure what's coming, Culbertson added.

The PUD is arguing it should get credits through the system, he said. The PUD touts hydropower as a clean, renewable energy source.

In response to the Western Climate Initiative, an unidentified man in the audience asked if others want residents to pay for their folly.

Customer loads were presented for the years 2007, 2017 and 2027.

Industrial loads were shown using 41 percent of power in 2007, 58 percent of power in 2017 and 56 percent of power in 2027. Irrigation loads made up 16 percent in 2007, 10 percent in 2017 and 9 percent in 2027.

Danna Dal Porto Y of Quincy said the information represents a forecast that's changing the area. She added she thinks the community should be supporting what we have and she didn't think industrial development is what she wants to see.

Rich Callahan of Royal City said it looked like industrial users will really ramp up and asked the PUD to require new groups to provide a certain number of jobs for a certain amount of power.

Culbertson said the PUD statutorily can't tie jobs to megawatts.

Sam Johnson, a Grant PUD commissioner candidate for Commissioner Tom Flint's seat, said he was concerned the Priest Rapids project wasn't going to be expanded. He said it didn't make sense to spend $6 million to stabilize the project.

Culbertson said FERC is requiring the stabilization project and the economics aren't there based on the value of capacity.