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The PUD Board of Commissioners approved new electric rates effective October 1. Overall rates increased about
5 percent, ranging from 3 percent for some industrial users to 6.1 percent for a residential customer
(based on average use). The residential rate will remain at 5.12˘ per kWh, but a new monthly “basic charge”
of $5 per month is now in effect. Rate increase questions and answers
Cowlitz PUD and three-other consumer-owned utilities - Lakeview Light and Power, Peninsula Light and Eugene
Water and Electric Board - are working together to develop the 100 megawatt Harvest Wind Project in Klickitat
County, WA. Harvest Wind will be built and producing green power this winter. Harvest Wind is located adjacent
to the White Creek Wind Project, which the PUD also is invested in.
Cowlitz PUD will own 30 percent of Harvest Wind, which will bring its total wind power capacity to 124 MW
between both projects.
PUD meter technicians continue to make great progress on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project (AMI).
As of November over 31,000 new meters are installed. When the project is completed in 2011 all 48,000
PUD customers will have a new meter that communicates on a real-time basis with computers in the PUD office,
via a signal over power lines. For more information, read the monthly updates on automated metering in our
newsletter.
The PUD is rebuilding several substations as part of the 8-year capital improvement plan to upgrade the
electrical system to serve future generations of customers. We contracted with the lowest bidder, JH Kelly
of Longview, for extensive work at the Olive Way, Washington Way and Beaver Bay substations. Team
Construction of Vancouver, WA was the low bidder to construct the new Technical Services building at the
PUD operation center on Industrial Way in Longview. It will be completed in mid-2010 and will replace our
60-year old meter department building. Read more in our November newsletter.
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