PUD re-evaluating Island water project

In the September 2 meeting of the Wahkiakum PUD, board members discussed the preliminary budget and future projects.

PUD employees have been working with the engineering firm of Gray and Osborne on replacing the water main and installing new electrical facilities on SR 409. Manager Dave Tramblie said he found the estimated construction costs higher than required for project completion.

He said it was his intention to take a step back and re-evaluate the project to ensure rate payers get what they are paying for. Tramblie said he would work with PUD Attorney Tim Hanigan and would have more information for the board at the next meeting. The project is slated to begin next spring.

Regarding the August 23 power outage affecting customers from KM Mountain east to Cowlitz County line, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) was successful in their repairs, Tramblie said.

He told the board that the work Wahkiakum did in conjunction with the outage was also completed. Outages like this should be conducted every five years for routine maintenance and repairs. BPA had to do one this year to replace a high side switch which was almost inoperable, Tramblie said.

Tramblie said BPA may install some new switches on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at Driscoll Tap at the request of Clatskanie PUD. If the switches are installed, power issues would only affect certain cities.

For example, if a problem occurred on the Driscoll to Astoria section, the switch would open automatically, leaving Cathlamet and Grays River energized. Areas can be isolated manually, but the installation of switches would isolate areas automatically.

“It would give us better service and hopefully, we won’t go out as often as we have in the past.” The installation of these switches would not require a nighttime power outage.

Auditor Erin Wilson said she has received notice that the state and Federal Emergency Management Association have started processing the paperwork from the December, 2007, storm. She said the PUD will be getting back just under $33,000 from FEMA and about $5,400 from the state.

The board approved a preliminary budget for 2009. A budget workshop has been scheduled for October 7 at 10 a.m. in the PUD meeting room. The public is welcome to attend. The next PUD meeting is September 16 at 8:30 a.m.