Your PUD
News Release
Automated electric meter reading coming soon
Chelan County PUD
News Release
3/17/2008
Chelan County PUD is moving down the path to begin installation of automated electric meters for all customers, starting this year.
Replacing every electric meter over the next several years is estimated to cost up to $15 million, with a payback of 8 to 13 years, according to current estimates.
The new meters will be able to send data electronically to the PUD -- a more efficient way to record energy use and provide more timely power bills. The project is referred to as AMS, automated metering system.
To get the project moving, commissioners Monday passed two resolutions. One allows staff to work with Plexus Research, a subsidiary of R.W. Beck of Seattle, to choose the right technology for the PUD. Plexus will also review the District's business case, assist in development of a Request for Proposals and establish a vendor evaluation process. The second resolution allows staff to request proposals for the automated metering system.
Plans are to launch the first phase for electrical customers in 2008. If all goes well, work to connect other customers to the system will proceed over the next several years.
Possibilities for the system in the future include technology that could allow customers to use the system to monitor their home energy use during different parts of the day. “I’m looking at the conservation aspect of this,” said Commissioner Ann Congdon.
An automated metering system was installed for water customers in 2007.
Lawsuit settled
Commissioners approved terms of a mediated settlement to a federal class action suit brought by four PUD employees representing a class of employees who sought overtime compensation for 10- to 15-minute shift turnovers during 12-hour rotating shifts.
The 81 employees in the class, rotating shift workers, will be paid a total of $155,000, and the PUD will pay attorney fees of $205,000.
The PUD disputed the claim, which was filed by the employees in November 2006, but wanted to avoid a long and costly legal battle.
General Counsel Carol Wardell presented the settlement to commissioners as a positive resolution of the case, stating, “It allows the District to move forward and focus on our commitment and our employees’ commitment to efficiently provide quality services to our customer-owners.”
The settlement, which releases all claims by the employees, must still be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case.
PUDs fare well in short legislative session
Director of Government Affairs Gregg Carrington reported to commissioners that the 60-day legislative session ended well for PUDs.
Commissioners also welcomed PUD legislative consultant Dave Arbaugh to discuss the end of the session and what’s ahead for 2009.
Passed bills of note include HB2533, which establishes a formula for what PUDs charge for cable and telecommunications companies to attach lines to a PUD power pole; SB6717, which increases the cap on PUD commissioner salaries and ESSB6560 which increases the bid limit for work performed by PUDs and the amount of materials PUDs can purchase without bids.
Arbaugh told commissioners that the next session will focus on global warming issues. “It will be all climate change … all the time.” he said.
Meeting set to discuss docks
Commissioners set a public meeting for 1 p.m. on April 7 in the boardroom to continue a discussion of whether private docks should be permitted on land the PUD owns along the shorelines of Rocky Reach reservoir on the Columbia River – affecting about 7 percent of land behind Rocky Reach Dam. There are also a few parcels affected on Lake Chelan.
Property owners who own their entire waterfront would not be affected.
In other business, PUD commissioners:
- Heard that no PUD bonds are currently auction rate securities (ARS) as noted in this past Sunday’s Seattle Times. The PUD did have ARS bonds prior to March 7, 2008, but has since refinanced them.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission is at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 24, in the boardroom at PUD headquarters, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at www.chelanpud.org.
Christy Shearer
Communications Audio-visual Specialist
Chelan County PUD
509.661.4258 office
509.421.4258 cell
509.661.8133 fax
christy.shearer@chelanpud.org