PUD board hears report of effects of weather

General Manager Dave Tramblie gave a report, and a representative from Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) gave a presentation at Wahkiakum County PUD Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday.

“The east side of the county was the only area really affected during the December 21 windstorm,” Tramblie said. “Since then it has been fairly quiet over the holidays.”

According to Tramblie, the cold weather has had an affect on the systems in the county. Water consumption numbers on Puget Island had PUD employees on the lookout for a leak recently. They found one but planned to be out looking for more on Tuesday.

“This could be the result of people leaving their faucets cracked so their pipes don’t freeze,” Commissioner Robert Jungers suggested.

“We could be chasing nothing,” Tramblie replied, “but it’s worth some effort to make sure there isn’t an issue out there. They don’t get smaller they just get bigger if we do have an issue.”

Tramblie also reported that the PUD has been seeing some of the highest demands for loads at their substations due to the weather.

The PUD has new equipment to read meters and will spend a couple days this week in training.

“This system is manual enter,” Tramblie said. “We had to purchase these because the old software was no longer supported.”

The final shipment of LEDs have come in and Tramblie plans to complete the street lighting project.

“There are 50 200 watt lights left to replace,” he said.

Anita Decker of Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) gave a presentation hoping to encourage the utility to continue their membership with the association after dues went up this year.

“Wahkiakum has been a member for over 30 years,” Decker said. “We have 148 public power utility members. We were formed in 1939 to provide services to utilities that they might not otherwise be able to provide for themselves. We do three things. We provide basic utility training for almost all positions throughout the utility profession. All those kind of nuts and bolts that keep people contemporary with the changes that we’ve seen in the utility industry.”

“The other thing we were designed to do is legislative,” she said. “We don’t focus on Bonneville. We’re really looking at federal legislation, what’s happening with EPA, the endangered species act and more.”

“We also provide communication,” Decker said. “I think we provide a huge value.”

“I believe NWPPA has a value to Wahkiakum PUD and I will be in touch,” said General Manager Dave Tramblie.

Mayor Dale Jacobson and Town of Cathlamet Council member Dick Swart attended the meeting as well.

“I just wanted to show up,” Swart said. “My commitment when I signed up for town council was to be available to meet with other entities. I think it’s important particularly since I probably have the longest span of memory of the issues that have been going on between the town and the PUD. I’m just here to listen and learn. I think it would be great if a commissioner or staff member could come to council meetings.”

The next PUD meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, at 8:30 a.m.