Grant PUD addresses misconceptions

GUEST EDITORIAL

EPHRATA - Over the past year, many customer-owners have shared their concern that some industrial companies in Grant County are receiving a "sweetheart deal" when in comes to their energy rates. Let us set the record straight: Grant PUD does not have contracts or sweetheart deals with industrials or with any of our retail customers.

When it comes to providing energy within the county, all customers are retail and as such are charged for their energy consumption based on the public rate schedule that applies to them (residential, irrigation, commercial, industrial, etc.). In addition to our retail load, we also provide wholesale power under long-term contracts with 22 power utilities that, in turn, provide energy to customers throughout the Northwest. These are the only energy contracts at Grant PUD.

As your elected representatives, it is our responsibility to set policy and rates for this utility. By state law, our rates must be fair and non-discriminatory. We are required to serve anyone that enters our service area and cannot turn down service to customers looking to locate in Grant County.

We appreciate the feedback we continue to receive from our customer-owners. When we hear misconceptions that run contrary to the goals and management of this PUD, we will continue to "set the record straight."

The guest editorial was approved by Randy Allred, president; Tom Flint, vice president; Terry Brewer, secretary; Dale Walker, commissioner; Bob Bernd, commissioner