Dam repairs a balancing act with Grant PUD's routine duties

Operating two hydroelectric plants on the Mid-Columbia River requires the ability to balance multiple interests at all times. Considerations for fish passage, recreation, cultural resources, electric generation, irrigation, and public safety are constants for Grant PUD. The complexity of this work compounds while we are responding to one of the greatest challenges faced by a hydropower operator on the Columbia River, a fracture at our Wanapum Dam.

While the response is still not over, we want to provide our customers with a snapshot of all that has occurred since the fracture was discovered in February. Since then, we have:

·Mobilized a team of engineering experts from throughout the country to find and fix the problem at Wanapum Dam.

·Worked with agencies, tribes and local irrigators to expedite irrigator surface water intake permits for nearly 1,000 acres of irrigated agriculture.

·Deployed innovative and effective fish-passage solutions that have helped pass a record-breaking 700,000 plus fish through Wanapum Dam.

·Implemented a shoreline-security strategy encompassing more than 80 miles of shoreline to ensure public safety.

·Protected cultural resources through a coordinated group comprised of Grant PUD archaeologists, regional tribes and the state Department of Archaeology.

·Reprioritized work and budgetary adjustments to pay for repairs to Wanapum Dam. This work relieves rate pressure on our 40,000-plus customers.

·Expedited federally-required improvements to three recreation sites along the river to take advantage of low-water elevations. This resulted in a cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

As federal approval of our plans moves forward, repairs to the dam are in full swing. Crews are working around the clock to repair the spillway, moving us closer toward raising the reservoir behind the dam later this year.

The Wanapum Dam Spillway Response reaffirms how integral these hydropower facilities are to the life we enjoy here in the Pacific Northwest. Our communities continue to thrive, courtesy of our renewable, low-cost energy. We have benefitted from these resources for more than 50 years and our commitment is to preserve them for future generations.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers during these challenging times. We look forward to continuing to provide you with some of the most affordable clean energy in the country well into the future.

This column was submitted by Grant PUD commissioners Bob Bernd, president, Dale Walker, vice president, Tom Flint, secretary, Terry Brewer and Larry Schaapman.