PUD adopts budgets, discusses transformer

The Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners has passed a resolution adopting the 2009 budgets for the district's electrical and water systems.

The gross revenue for electrical is $3,523,000, for the Puget Island Water System; $302,950, and for the Western Wahkiakum Water System; $209,300.

Manager Dave Tramblie reported the power outage affecting Grays River on November 18 was due to a fuse on a transformer blowing. The cause of the fuse failure is unknown, and the fuse was replaced.

Tramblie said it was a cause for concern as the transformer is 61 years old. The fuses are tested often, and this one was tested three years ago, however, Tramblie said he isn’t sure how much “life” is in the transformers. “I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and this is the first time I have ever seen one of those blow.”

Auditor Erin Wilson told the board a total of $175,000 of the Residential Exchange Dollars (RED) will be refunded to customers receiving service between October 2006 and September 2007. The credits will be divided depending on the amount overpaid with the average amount returned around $80. Wilson said she hopes the refunds will begin in January.

Commissioner Esther Gregg told the board while at the Washington Public Utility Districts (WPUDA) meeting she discussed with other PUD commissioners how their counties used their RED’s. Gregg said some counties are putting the money away for a later date, while in Grant County they opted to build three new substations this year.

The next PUD meeting is scheduled for December 16 at 8:30 a.m.