Commission recap, 6/27/2023 — Engineers address customer requests for alternate Quincy transmission route. More...

Engineers address customer requests for alternate Quincy transmission route

Engineers Randy Kono and Angel Barahona-Sanchez explained to the commissioners why the Jericho Tap 115 kilovolt line extending from Jericho Substation at the intersection of Beverly Burke Road and Highway 26 to a junction on Frenchman Hills near Road O SW was not selected as part of the planned route for the Wanapum-to-Mountain View 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line project. 

Customers have insisted that Grant PUD consider this alternate route and have awaited an explanation about why engineers rejected it over the preferred route 4b shown here.

Kono explained that the route was considered in the initial evaluation process, but it was not selected because of the following reasons. Building adjacent to Jericho Tap did not appear practical due to the center pivots and other agricultural practices surrounding a significant portion of the existing line.

Rebuilding the Jericho Tap for a combined 115kV and 230kV circuit would require a significant outage to the Jericho Substation. Over 500 customers are sourced from Jericho Substation including a USBR Pumping Site. The option would have been the longest option and travel further east than all other options. It would have a bare minimum distance along existing road right-of-way providing less direct access from established roadways for construction and future maintenance.  

Kono added that the existing easement for the Jericho Tap is only for one circuit. Adding a new circuit would need to be negotiated with the landowners on the Jericho Tap easement.  

“The Jericho question, for me, has been answered,” said commissioner Larry Schaapman. “If we have to ask them for another easement to put in a second line.”  

Barahona-Sanchez and Kono added that they are working on the 30 percent design of the Wanapum to Mountain View 230 kV line project route, which runs primarily along Beverly Burke Road south of George to running parallel with Highway 281 about a half mile to the west for most of the rest of the way until it eventually connects to the Mountain View Substation.  

The project team will continue to communicate with affected property owners to address their specific land-use concerns, stated Kono.  

Hear the full discussion at 3:22:13 on the commission audio. See the full presentation on pages 103-110 of the presentation materials. 

West Canal and Quincy Foothills Substation contracts awarded

Sumner-based Potelco was the lowest and winning bidder on contracts to build two new Quincy substations — Quincy Foothills and West Canal. Both will be on Road 11, near existing data centers. Potelco’s low bid was $5.7 million for the West Canal contract and $7.1 million for the Quincy Foothills contract. Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the contracts in July 2023. Construction is slated to begin the same month. Both are planned to begin operations during the first quarter of 2024. See the full presentation on pages 40-51 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 1:27:41 on the commission audio.

Commissioners also:

— Approved updates to Grant PUD’s policies for travel and non-travel related meals. Both policy updates provide greater guidance, more oversight and increased monitoring for business-related travel and meals. For more information, see pages 9 through 47 of the commission packet.   

— Approved a change order to extend Grant PUD’s contract with accounting firm Moss Adams for another three years to July 1, 2026. The not-to-exceed amount was increased by $726,000 for a total of $1.926 million. For more information, see pages 56 through 62 of the commission packet.   

 — Received a staff recommendation to add an additional $15.8 million to the budget to rebuild turbine/generator Unit 6 at Priest Rapids Dam for a new contract total of $75.9 million. The increase will cover additional necessary work to the unit and associated labor costs. Unit 6 is one of the dam’s total 10 units. Four have already been rehabilitated. A fifth should go online by year end. Unit 6 is scheduled to begin rehab in December 2023 and return to service in January 2025. See the full presentation on pages 26-37 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 23:01 on the commission audio.

— Heard an update on the efforts of the Employee Experience Department to create a culture at Grant PUD to attract, hire and retain good employees, through tuition reimbursement for further education, leadership training, employee recognition, a Code of Excellence that instills a shared sense of value and ethics and regular surveys to gauge effectiveness. See the full presentation on pages 53-72 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 1:50:52 on the commission audio.

— Heard that the Operational Excellence Department is working on more than 50 projects throughout Grant PUD to improve efficiencies, reduce redundancies and help employees manage changing technologies and work structures. The Department comprises the Corrective Action Program, Continuous Improvement and Organizational Change Management. See the full presentation on pages 73-97 of the presentation materials. Hear the discussion at 2:25:45 on the commission audio.