Your PUD
News Release
PUD to offer energy conservation incentives
Chelan County PUD
News Release
7/27/2009
Beginning this fall, Chelan County PUD is planning to offer customers cash rebates for energy conservation steps such as adding home insulation and replacing old doors and windows.
The new program will replace a weatherization loan program that is almost 30 years old. Participation has been steadily decreasing in recent years, and costs for administering the loan program are about twice as high as expected for handling incentives.
Rebates are expected to help more customers conserve electricity and allow the PUD to encourage conservation more effectively. As the PUD prepares to meet conservation requirements of Washington state’s Energy Independence Act (Initiative 937), staff time needed to administer weatherization loans will be used for other projects with more impact.
Details are still being decided, but Mark Wiser, manager of the PUD’s Conservation programs, said customers could get a rebate of around 25 cents per square foot of new insulation, and about $6 a square foot for new doors and windows, up to a limit of possibly $1,500. Customers would also be eligible for federal tax credits.
During the budgeting process each year, PUD commissioners would decide how much to make available for rebates.
The PUD will still accept weatherization loan applications through the end of this year and will finish handling existing loans until they are paid off.
Commissioners also ended the PUD’s water conservation loan program, which received little interest from customers.
Wenatchee Riverfront Park’s Orondo Avenue dock area to expand
Commissioners approved an agreement with the city of Wenatchee to maintain a future day-use boat moorage facility that the city will install north of the existing boat launch near the foot of Orondo Avenue.
City staff has secured grant funding for the new day-use dock as well as a commitment for $280,000 from the Chelan County Port District to build the $800,000 project, which will include 160 feet of dock space that could be used by up to 14 boats.
The PUD would then own the new facilities and maintain them. Wenatchee Riverfront Park is owned and operated by the PUD under recreation plans required by the federal license to operate Rock Island Dam.
Extra boat-trailer parking spaces were included in the project initially, but cost constraints have delayed that portion of construction.
PUD commissioners expressed concern over the need for more parking and the potential for ongoing escalating costs of maintaining the dock. City staff promised to continue working toward acquiring additional parking for the area.
In other business, PUD commissioners:
- Authorized the general manager to take action related to money owed the District by Lehman Brothers Commodity Services and Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., for prior energy purchases, with the firms now in bankruptcy proceedings. The District may receive bids from other entities who want to buy the PUD’s claim of $440,084 against Lehman Bros. to consolidate with other claims in hopes of eventually receiving a portion of bankruptcy settlement funds. If the District acts on any offers for the claim, a follow-up report will be made to the board.
- Increased a services agreement by $85,000 with Strategies 360, Seattle. The firm will conduct public opinion surveys, help create a public input plan and provide workshops as part of the PUD’s strategic planning.
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The next regular meeting of the PUD commission will be at 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, 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
Deputy Public Information Officer
Chelan County PUD
(509) 661-4258 office
(509) 421-4258 cell
(509) 661-8117 fax
christy.shearer@chelanpud.org