Wanted: Customers to be involved

Carnan Bergren, PUD Commissioner

7/28/2009

It's tough looking into the future for our PUD. Regulation, population growth, renewable energy requirements, the economy and emerging technology are some of the big issues clouding the crystal ball.

Because it is such a challenge, we're about to launch another round of strategic planning to set goals and draw the map to guide your PUD through the big decisions looming after power sales contracts expire in 2011-2012. The only way we’ll be truly successful is if we can get our customer-owners to join us in drafting the plan.

Your PUD has a lot of moving parts. A strategic plan done right gets everyone on the same page and headed in the same direction. It’s a way for customers-owners to judge the effectiveness of commissioners and for commissioners to evaluate the manager.

I see the plan as the foundation for commission decisions on policy that will ultimately determine:

• How cash reserves are used. 
• How Wall Street views the District’s credit-worthiness (bond rating).
• How the PUD balances efficiency and responsibility in meeting new environmental regulations. 
• Which conservation methods and possible new power sources make economic sense. 
• The cost of providing electric, water, sewer and wholesale fiber services and how much of that will be covered by rates. 

All of these concerns and more go into formulating a strategic plan. It is a team process that involves the customer-owners, commissioners, the general manager, senior managers and PUD employees. 

The customer-owners of Chelan PUD have an influential responsibility in this process.  What we hear from you at meetings, in phone calls and over coffee is highly regarded. 

In particular, I want to hear how you think the costs that go into delivering power, water and sewer service should be allocated among the different types of PUD customers. We think providing reliable service is another high priority. Do you?  How much are customers willing to see added to the cost of service to ensure reliability and at what level?

We’ll look for you to be involved in the next few months as we review our strategic plan and revise it to guide us through the next five years.  My hope is the plan will be decisive and will clearly outline our vision and direction.