GCPUD Press Release

Grant PUD Develops Successful Hydro Apprenticeship Training Programs
Ensuring a skilled workforce to meet the challenges of growth and change is a priority

EPHRATA -- Utility workers at Grant PUD have a tradition of completing extensive on-the-job training and apprenticeships. Skills acquired by employees allow them to make contributions that support the technology driven power industry.

On October 16, three Grant PUD hydro mechanics continued that legacy by completing a rigorous mechanical apprenticeship program. One of the most extensive programs offered by a hydroelectric operator on the Columbia River, Grant PUD’s course requires three years of exposure to a wide range of skills. Recent graduates Bill Anderson Jr., Jim Claussen and Brandon Horner are the first to complete the program.

The apprenticeship includes a combination of on-the-job training and related instruction that provides exposure to practical and theoretical aspects of mechanics. Grant PUD’s program trains mechanics across a wide range of skills to meet the diverse challenges of working around hydroelectric turbines. Training includes mechanical systems, welding, hand tools, heavy equipment operation, carpentry, air conditioning and refrigeration, machining, equipment maintenance and repair.

The apprenticeship was revised three years ago to meet the growing demand for skilled craftsmen to work in the utility’s two powerhouse facilities at Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams. Grant PUD Training Supervisor Sam Johnson was pleased to note, “All three candidates passed the final test with flying colors. They are outstanding apprentices who are ready to do any job in the plant. Our foremen know the quality of journeymen they are getting through this program.”

Grant PUD’s apprenticeship program includes specialized training for dam operators and electricians. Presently, six operators, one electrician and two mechanics are enrolled in the program. Additionally, there are four apprentices moving through the three-year Electric System line apprenticeship program. Two apprentices are in their first year and four are in their second year of training. All of Grant PUD’s apprenticeship programs are state sanctioned.

Wanapum Powerhouse crews discuss options on a turbine replacement project.

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Grant County Public Utility District is a Washington state municipal corporation that began electric service in 1942. Owned by the people it serves, Grant PUD generates and sells electricity to Grant County residents and millions of customers throughout Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Priest Rapids Project, comprised of Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams, produces nearly 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable and reliable electricity – enough to supply a city the size of Seattle. A leader in science based technology; Grant PUD is committed to finding effective measures for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of salmon, steelhead and other natural and cultural resources.