PUD planning rate increases

The Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners worked its way through a list of housecleaning measures this week and finished their regular session and moved to an executive session.

PUD Manager David Tramblie told commissioners the district is looking at about a 1 percent to 2 percent increase in the cost of its power from the Bonneville Power Administration,

“It would be my recommendation to increase the rates to cover those (BPA) costs, as well as our own inflationary costs,” he said.

BPA is passing on its rising costs to local utilities. “I would recommend you have a 5 percent increase for the electric,” said Tramblie.

Commissioner Esther Greg asked Tramblie if he was recommending an increase in both the base rate charge and the electricity charge. Tramblie said “no” only the electrical charge.

Tramblie then told commissioners the rate increases for the PUD’s two water systems weren’t as clear cut as with the BPA. The PUD operates both Western Wahkiakum Water and the Puget Island Water systems.

“Given the fact that both systems have differing labor cost I would recommend a 3 percent increase for both systems,” said Tramblie.

The commissioners scheduled a rate hearing for October 6 at 10 a.m. The hearing will follow the normal PUD meeting.

Tramblie also told commissioners that 87 percent of the water meters on the Western Wahkiakum Water System are 12 years old or less. When asked, he said the life of a water meter is around 20 years and the system is in good shape.

Puget Island’s meters are in about the same condition with 60 percent of the meters being less than 12 years old.

The commissioners also learned that the price had gone up to set up the PUD’s new 30-ton transformer in Grays River.

Tramblie told commissioners the rigging company that bid the job to move the transformer didn’t realize they had to swap trailers to tow the transformer up a logging road,

“The cost jumped from $10,000 to $31,000,” he said.

Commissioners voted to increase the original cost of the transformer installation to $120,000.

In other business, the commissioners used a raffle process to pick Justin McClain as the PUD nominee for the Washington Public Utilities Association scholarship. McClain moves on as a finalist in the WPUA scholarship program.

The programs awards $1000 scholarships to the state’s high school seniors and to family members of PUD employees statewide.