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Sabey Data Centers, the Columbia Basin Foundation and Grant PUD partner to Pay it Forward during COVID

EPHRATA – Sabey Data Centers (Sabey), headquartered in Seattle, WA, recently donated 75 Chromebook computers to school districts in Grant County.Sabey operates a colocation data center campus in Quincy, WA. Sabey graciously chose to contribute to Grant PUD's Pay-it-Forward fund with the Columbia Basin Foundation. This fund provides opportunity for ...

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Commission recap 8/25/2020

Second-quarter updata shows finances continue strong The latest 5-year financial forecast shows Grant PUD meeting most of its financial targets through 2025 with virtually no annual electric rate increases to customers, commissioners learned Tuesday. But conditions could change amid revenue uncertainty on the wholesale energy market and spending ne...

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Commission recap 5/12/2020: Budget impacts mild, so far, from COVID-19

Budget impacts from COVID-19 mild, so far A strong financial position, better-than-expected wholesale energy prices, and debt reduction and re-funding work completed earlier this year combine to minimize, for now, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Grant PUD finances to date, commissioners heard Tuesday. A high degree of uncertainty remains ab...

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Grant PUD to evaluate reopening of recreation sites

EPHRATA – Grant PUD is evaluating when it can reopen its recreation sites, which were closed in March because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Grant PUD operates 20 recreation sites on the Columbia River. During the pandemic, the utility is placing the highest priority on keeping its mission critical systems functioning. These systems includ...

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Quick action on debt work to save Grant PUD $158 million*

EPHRATA — Quick work and careful market watching by Grant PUD's Finance team resulted in debt-reduction and refinancing work that will save the utility just over $158 million in debt service through 2044. "We were in a good position to act when interest rates began to steadily decline," Senior Manager of Treasury Bonnie Overfield said. "The Distric...

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All Grant PUD recreation sites closed until further notice

Desplácese hacia abajo para español Move coincides with other public lands' closures to prevent spread of COVID-19 EPHRATA — Grant PUD has made the difficult decision to close all its parks, campsites, boat launches and other recreation areas and facilities until further notice as an added measure to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. ...

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Customers encouraged to contact Grant PUD with bill concerns

Haga click para Español  EPHRATA – Grant PUD urges customers having difficulties paying their power bills to call its customer service line at 509-766-2505 or email ​This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.​. By calling, customer service representatives will be able to discuss resources and options for assistance with bills, including: Modified payment ...

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Commission recap 03/10/2020: Electric system improvement plan in the works

This week's commission meeting was held digitally, by audio conference, in an effort to follow state health officials' recommendations to reduce public gatherings to prevent spreading COVID-19 Coronavirus. Meetings will take place this way until further notice. The meeting was recorded in a different way and isn't immediately able to be posted on t...

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Grant PUD block of C Street to close for crane work March 12

EPHRATA — The portion of C Street SW, between Division Avenue and First Avenue SW will close the morning of March 12, to haul a new piece of air-conditioning equipment onto the roof of Grant PUD headquarters. That portion of C Street will close at approximately 7 a.m. The crane and a truck with the new equipment will stage on C Street. The job shou...

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Grant PUD block of C Street to close Feb. 28 for crane work

EPHRATA — The portion of C Street SW, between Division Avenue and First Avenue SW will be closed the morning of Friday, Feb. 28 for crane work to remove an old piece of air-conditioning equipment from the roof of Grant PUD headquarters.That portion of C Street and the sidewalk along its east side by the headquarters building will close at 6 a.m. Pa...

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Commission recap 1/28/2020: Fiber-optics on the rise

Lessons learned from 2019 to help future fiber expansion Although 2019 had its share of challenges with expanding Grant PUD's fiber-optic network, the accomplishments from the past year provided valuable insights while setting a very high bar for future expansion efforts. This was the message Grant PUD's Senior Manager of Wholesale Fiber, Russ Bret...

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Grant PUD to reduce debt amid favorable market conditions

S&P Global, Moody's and Fitch uphold their high credit ratings EPHRATA — Three of the world's top bond-rating agencies have affirmed strong credit ratings for Grant PUD, as the utility readies to pay down debt for long-term savings that will help keep electric rates low. The high ratings enable Grant PUD to take fuller advantage of current mark...

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Irrigation Workshop a hit with irrigators

Approximately 75 irrigation customers attended our first Irrigation Workshop at the Grant County Fairgrounds, Dec. 11, in what promises to become an annual or biennial (every two years) event. Grant PUD subject-matter experts talk about Grant PUD's 2020 budget — which includes no rate increase for the second consecutive year — our expectations for ...

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More power for Northern Moses Lake

This 100,000-pound, 115 kV, transformer arrived at the Randolph Road Substation Dec. 5 from its manufacturer, Virginia Transformer Corp. of Pocatello, Idaho. Grant PUD is in the process of expanding the substation from its current footprint of 29,830 sq. ft. to 40,035 sq. ft. Improvements include one new transformer line-up to the existing two line...

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We filled the bucket!

​Grant PUD employees and customers achieved the goal of having enough donated food to fill the extra-large two-man line truck bucket during the annual Fill-the-Bucket Food Drive last week. The drive, which is a joint effort between Grant PUD and the IBEW Local 77, collected food for local Grant County food banks at Grant PUD's local offices and wit...

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Catching fish to make more fish

Record participation for a good cause at King of the Reach salmon derby  VERNITA — Young Alex Herrera pulled back on the rod, the line taught, his back arched against the strain as if he were battling a deep-sea marlin or sail fish. He may as well have been. A video shot by his uncle Jose Merced shows the 9-year-old from Pasco landing a nearly...

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Industry op-ed touts hydropower as key to carbon-free future

​This column by Malcolm Woolf, president and CEO of the National Hydropower Association, appeared Oct. 22, 2019 in The Hill, a Washington D.C.-based news website covering politics and government. The path to carbon free flows through hydropower BY MALCOLM WOOLF, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR The Hill 10/22/19 https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-en...

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Grant PUD investigating exciter fires at Priest Rapids Dam

Dam operations will be modified during investigation EPHRATA – Priest Rapids Dam operators extinguished a small fire in equipment called an exciter, which provides energy to start up one of the generating units, shortly after 1 a.m. today. The fire affected Unit No. 7 at Priest Rapids Dam. On Oct. 3, there was a similar fire in the exciter for Unit...

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Commissioners oppose removing Snake River Dams

​ ​​​​Grant PUD commissioners Oct. 8 unanimously agreed to oppose breaching the lower four Snake River dams. They cited the value of hydropower as a clean, renewable and necessary resource; the successful efforts of Columbia River dam operators to get fish safety past their projects; and the minimal importance of Columbia and Snake River salmon as ...

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Commission recap 9/24/2019: 2020 budget outlook: Lower debt with minimal effect on rates

Commissioners got their first look Tuesday at a proposed $291 million budget for 2020 with staff recommendations to reduce debt by using surplus cash savings and limit an electric-rate-revenue increase to customers to one-tenth percent. Budget hearings for public comment are scheduled Oct. 8 in Ephrata and Moses Lake and Oct. 10 in Quincy (see sche...

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