BPA to increase electricity cost 9.6 percent

The Wahkiakum Public Utility District board of commissioners met briefly Tuesday for updates on Bonneville Power Administration wholesale power rates and current projects before they held an executive session to discuss litigation.

The board authorized General Manager David Tramblie to call for bids for the transformer needed at the new Wahkiakum Substation. Construction is expected to start next summer. Tramblie said engineers expect the project to cost about $2.8 million.

Tramblie reported the leak that has been plaguing the Westend Water System was located 30 feet from the river and repaired. He said the leak had been losing 7,800 gallons of water a day.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provided notice of a 9.6 percent increase on energy costs.

Auditor Erin Wilson estimated the district, which has about 2400 active electric customers, would pay an additional $123,000 per year, based on usage in 2010.

BPA has allocated a maximum of 5.08 average megawatts to the district for the next fiscal year, which begins in October.

Wilson reported the PUD has received the water contract from the Town of Cathlamet; she will meet with Tramblie and Attorney Tim Hanigan to review it.

Tramblie and Commissioners Bob Jungers and Gene Healy attended a rate-setting workshop facilitated by Herbert “Skip” Rand of Rural Community Assistance Corporation to assist the Town in determining its rates. The study was funded by Washington State Department of Health.

Commissioner Dennis Reid reported that Lee Tischer, a prospective candidate for the board who works for Wahkiakum County, was involved in a chip-sealing road project and unable to attend the meeting.

After an executive session, the board signed a consent or waiver acknowledging that the law firm of Marsh, Mundorf, Pratt and Sullivan, which represents the PUD as part of the Washington Public Agencies Group, will also be assisting utilities who are suing BPA over the residential exchange settlement.

The Wahkiakum PUD agreed to the settlement, which set BPA rates between PUDs and investor-owned utilities.