Mason County PUD No. 3 RSS Feed

Nov 19 - After Overnight Storm PUD 3 Restores Electricity to Nearly 1,800 Customers

Thursday Nov. 19 - PUD 3 Personnel Prepare to remove Tree from Lines on Hurley Waldrip Road

Mason County PUD No. 3 has restored electricity to nearly 1,800 customers who had their service interrupted by last night’s storm.

Areas affected by the outages included:

An estimated 1,300 Harstine Island customers
450 customers along North Shore Road west of Belfair
Scattered outages included Bloomfield Road, Hudson Road and Hurley Waldrip Road

Most of the interruptions in service have been caused by trees across power lines. The heavy rains over the last week have saturated the soils in Mason County. This weakens the hold that tree roots have on the soil, which makes the trees vulnerable to being blown over by heavy wind gusts.

Mason County PUD No. 3 has personnel ready to respond to outage calls any time of the day or night. To contact PUD 3 customers may call:

In the Shelton area: 360-432-1533
In Belfair: 360-275-2833
From the Elma Telephone Exchange: 360-861-4247

Nov 19 - After Overnight Storm PUD 3 Restores Electricity to Nearly 1,800 Customers

Mason County PUD No. 3 has restored electricity to nearly 1,800 customers who had their service interrupted by last night’s storm.

Areas affected by the outages included:

An estimated 1,300 Harstine Island customers
450 customers along North Shore Road west of Belfair
Scattered outages included Bloomfield Road, Hudson Road and Hurley Waldrip Road

Mason County PUD No. 3 has personnel ready to respond to outage calls any time of the day or night. To contact PUD 3 customers may call:

In the Shelton area: 360-432-1533
In Belfair: 360-275-2833
From the Elma Telephone Exchange: 360-861-4247

PUD 3 Commission Report for November 17, 2009

Consent Agenda

The Mason County PUD No. 3 Board of Commissioners approved vouchers in the amount of $2.1 million.

Public Comment

Timberlakes resident Theresa Jacobson stated her opposition to the relocation of PUD 3 facilities and employees to a proposed new operations center on Johns Prairie Road. Jacobson said she was concerned about the economic impact on downtown Shelton in the event of PUD relocation and the cost of the proposed facility. She asked commissioners to consider halting the project.

Discussion Items

Commissioners heard a staff report on several projects that could help PUD 3 in its effort to meet renewable energy mandates as required by the state’s “Energy Independence Act” (Initiative 937). The PUD has been discussing the possibility of purchasing electricity from the White Creek wind project in Klickitat County. The agreement would result in a resale of the energy to a third party for two years, with the PUD taking the electricity into its power mix after that time. While this proposal would initially be more expensive than current power prices, it would be a major long-term savings over other existing or potential renewable energy sources once increased mandates become effective.

Commissioners asked that the White Creek proposal be placed on the November 24 agenda for further discussion.

Staff also reported that the PUD has made an expression of interest, but not a commitment, to a portion of the output from an Oregon solar power project. The project is being considered by Energy Northwest.

The next PUD 3 commission meeting takes place November 24, 2009 in the PUD 3 auditorium at 307 West Cota Street in Shelton at 10:00 a.m.

PUD 3 Commission Report for November 10, 2009

The Mason County PUD No. 3 Board of Commissioners approved vouchers in the amount of $745,538.

Shelton resident Louis Cofoni urged commissioners to continue their present course to construct a new PUD 3 operations center in the Johns Prairie area near Shelton. Cofoni stated that although some have advised a delay, this will only mean higher costs. He commented on previous proposals to expand current facilities, which due to city codes and requirements would not be sufficient to address space needs.

Cofoni said that he saw a “win-win” opportunity for a plan forwarded by the Mason County Senior Activities Association which would

Jay Himlie, Power Supply Manager presented his recommendations to meet conservation requirements of the Washington State renewable energy law (Initiative 937). Under the state’s “Energy Independence Act,” all electrical utilities with more than 25,000 customers must determine their conservation potential and develop energy saving goals consistent with guidelines of the Northwest Power & Conservation Council (NWPCC). Himlie stated, however, that the NWPCC does not assign conservation targets for individual utilities; under the law, the task of identifying cost-effective energy saving measures is delegated to the local entity.

Himlie told commissioners that a number of factors affect the effectiveness or availability of certain conservation measures:

The Washington State energy code may be updated, requiring more energy efficient homes;
Certain energy-saving technologies are not commercially available at this time (I.E. heat pump water heaters)
The type of electric heating used by most customers in the PUD 3 service territory affects the ability to realize savings through conversion to other sources, such as heat pump technology;
The PUD service territory has a large number of manufactured homes, which save less energy per square foot than site-built homes for energy efficiency measures;
There are fewer multi-family residences in Mason County, compared to other areas of the state. This can negate conservation opportunities in those instances;
PUD 3 is in a milder climate zone, which reduces the potential energy savings compared to other areas that have more dramatic temperature extremes;
There are existing conservation requirements for new appliances.
Because large commercial buildings such as skyscrapers do not exist in the PUD service territory, there is no conservation opportunity from this sector;
The PUD has been aggressively working with local industrial customers to implement conservation programs. This reduces the overall energy saving opportunities into the immediate future.

Given his evaluation of energy savings that are outside the PUD 3’s influence, and those the utility can control, Himlie recommended that the commission adopt a ten year conservation potential of 21,885 megawatt hours, and a 2010 to 2011 biennial conservation target of 4,377 megawatt hours.Himlie stated that he expects the PUD to exceed the conservation targets. He further stated that he does not anticipate rate increases to do so, especially since many of the local efforts are reimbursed through Bonneville Power Administration energy efficiency programs.

Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations of a ten year conservation potential of 21,885 megawatt hours, and a 2010 to 2011 biennial conservation target of 4,377 megawatt hours to meet the 2010 through 2011 conservation requirements of the Washington State renewable energy law.

Commissioners approved Resolution 1495, Declaring the Residential/Office Structure on the PUD 3’s Johns Prairie Road Property as Surplus. The resolution authorizes PUD staff to advertize for the removal of the building or salvage of materials from the structure.

Commissioners approved Resolution 1496, Authorizing a Revision to a Power Sales Contract to Assign the Packwood Hydroelectric Project Output. PUD 3 has a ten percent share in the low-impact hydro project. The resolution allows for the sale of this share to Snohomish County PUD for a year. The PUD 3 share will eventually be included in the utility’s local energy portfolio.

PUD 3 Finance Manager Annette Creekpaum reported on the status of the budget, ending October 31, 2009. October expenditures were $3.8 million. Expenditures for the first ten months of the year were $41.5 million, or 73 percent of the proposed 2009 budget. Revenue for October was $3.9 million. Revenue for the first Ten months of the year was $46.6 million, which is 81 percent of the proposed 2009 budget.

Treasurer Sherry Speaks said that the PUD ended the month of October 2009 with a reserve balance of $28.5 million. Total investments were $31.4 million.

Manager Wyla Wood reported that Marissa Davidson, the daughter of Mason PUD No. 3 customer service rep Susan Carrington, has been awarded the Washington PUD Association’s Walkley Educational Scholarship for $1,000.

Wood stated that PUD 3 had recently received a finding-free audit by the Washington State Department of Revenue. She said that the PUD will be provided a refund of $1,700 as a result of the inspection.

The next PUD 3 commission meeting takes place November 17, 2009 in the PUD 3 auditorium at 307 West Cota Street in Shelton at 10:00 a.m.

Planned Power Outage for Phillips Lake / Willchar Blvd. Area

Mason County PUD No. 3 has announced that on the morning of Tuesday, November 24 there will be a planned power outage for some customers in the Phillips Lake / Willchar Blvd. area. All of Willchar Blvd. will be affected.

The outage is necessary to allow for PUD 3 to upgrade service in the area, which will result in improved system reliability and safety.

The planned outage will begin at 12:00 p.m. on the 24th, and is expected to last about four hours. Letters of notification have been sent to customers in the project area.

While the project is underway motorists may experience occasional traffic delays. Your patience during this time is greatly appreciated.

As with any outage, the PUD recommends that sensitive electronic appliances and equipment be turned off and unplugged until power is restored for at least 20 minutes. Also, especially with today’s electronics, it is important for customers to consider the use of surge protectors in their homes.

If customers have any questions, they may call Shelton Line Superintendent Scott Peterson at (360) 426-8255, extension 3233 or Operations Manager Bob Smith at (360) 426-8255, extension 5268.

2:00 AM Update – PUD 3 restores Electricity to Harstine & Scattered, Isolated Locations

PUD No. 3 linemen restored electricity to nearly 600 customers as of 2:00 Tuesday morning. Areas affected by stormy weather overnight included 500 customers on Harstine Island, along with scattered outages in the Lake Limerick area, Scarlet Road, Old Olympic Highway, Shorecrest, Arcadia Shores, Island View, and Timberlakes.

Trees or limbs on power lines are the main causes for the interruption in electrical service.

Customers may call any time to report outage information:

In the Shelton area: 360-432-1533
In Belfair: 360-275-2833
From the Elma Telephone Exchange: 360-861-4247

11:30 PM Update - Scattered Outages for PUD 3 Customers

Mason County PUD No. 3 linemen are responding to scattered outages as of 11:00 Monday night. Areas affected so far include Lake Limerick, Shorecrest, Arcadia Shores, Island View, Timberlakes. Customers may call any time to report outage information:

In the Shelton area: 360-432-1533
In Belfair: 360-275-2833
From the Elma Telephone Exchange: 360-861-4247

Second Storm Front Threatens - PUD 3 Urges Customers to be Prepared for Heavy Rain and Wind through Tonight

Mason County PUD No. 3 is advising customers to be prepared for potentially damaging rain and high winds tonight as the second of two powerful storms makes landfall over western Washington.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch for this evening through Tuesday afternoon. The Weather Service says widespread winds of up to 40 mph with occasionally higher gusts to 60 mph are possible with this system.

A flood watch is in effect for the Skokomish and Satsop Rivers.

If outages occur as a result of the next storm, PUD 3 will be working as quickly and safely as possible to restore electricity to its customers. Do not approach downed lines and always assume they are energized. Call PUD 3 to report them.

Customers served by the PUD can report a power outage any time of the day or night at 360-432-1533 in the Shelton area; 360-275-2833 in Belfair; or 360-861-4247 from Elma.

Local and Regional Media

Mason County PUD No. 3 sends regular updates to KMAS Radio in Shelton and Olympia radio stations KGY, KXXO, and KRXY. PUD 3 provides updates to major media outlets in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Outage information is also posted on the PUD website at www.masonpud3.org.

Follow Major Outages Online via Twitter

Mason County PUD No. 3 uses the online message service “Twitter” as an added way to provide customers and employees with updates on major outages. One advantage is that users can have message updates sent to their cell phones. The PUD 3 Twitter feed is available at www.twitter.com/pud3.

Twitter is a free service that allows for the posting of short notes, called “Tweets” that will alert people who have a Twitter account each time messages are added.

Signing up at twitter.com is easy. Once a person is registered, they can follow messages posted by the PUD on the internet and/or tell the service to send text messages to their cell phone.

Be Prepared for Fall and Winter Storms

With fall and winter-like weather making a local appearance this week, PUD 3 encourages customers to be prepared for prepare for disasters. Some specific things to consider when putting together disaster supplies include:

Have an adequate stock of storm supplies, including a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries; candles, matches, medicines, first aid supplies, bottled water, and non-perishable food. Remember to have special needs items in your kit like crucial medications for a minimum of three days. Don’t forget the needs of your pet.
Check with friends and neighbors, especially the elderly and those with special needs, to make sure they are doing well.
Store your supplies in an accessible location. Think about using a large, sealable plastic tub to hold your emergency items.
Homeowners with wells should draw an emergency water supply in case power to their electric water pumps is interrupted.
If you have an emergency heating source, learn how to use it properly to prevent fire and ensure proper ventilation.
Warm clothing, including boots, mittens, and a hat.
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed as much as possible.
Keep an analog telephone on hand that will work when wireless phones lose electricity.
Turn off your heating and air conditioning systems and consider unplugging sensitive electronic appliances such as TVs, VCRs, microwave ovens and home computers, etc., during a power outage. This will protect your appliances against unpreventable voltage fluctuations that may occur as a result of a circuit overload when the power is restored.
Be sure to wait 5 to 10 minutes before turning on appliances and heating systems when power is restored.

Nov 13 - Electricity Restored to Shorecrest Area

Electricity has been restored to customers in the Shorecrest area east of Shelton following a late morning outage.

About 570 customers were affected by the interruption of service when a tree came in contact with power lines at about 10:00 AM. Electricity was restored just past 12:30 PM.

With fall and winter-like weather making a local appearance this week, PUD 3 encourages customers to prepare for disasters by thinking “three days, three ways.

Develop a home emergency plan. Have at least three days worth of food, one gallon of water per person per day, a battery-operated radio, flashlight, batteries, blanket, and extra clothes.
Have enough emergency supplies for three days. Remember to have special needs items in your kit like crucial medications for a minimum of three days. Don’t forget the needs of your pet.
Get involved by learning how to be ready for a disaster and sharing that knowledge with others.

Customers served by Mason County PUD No. 3 can report a power outage any time of the day or night at 360-426-8255 in the Shelton area; 360-275-2833 in Belfair; or 360-861-4247 from Elma.

Some specific things to consider when developing an emergency plan and putting together disaster supplies include:

Have an adequate stock of storm supplies, including a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries; candles, matches, medicines, first aid supplies, bottled water, and non-perishable food.
Store your supplies in an accessible location. Think about using a large, sealable plastic tub to hold your emergency items.
Homeowners with wells should draw an emergency water supply in case power to their electric water pumps is interrupted.
If you have an emergency heating source, learn how to use it properly to prevent fire and ensure proper ventilation.
Warm clothing, including boots, mittens, and a hat.
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed as much as possible.
Keep an analog telephone on hand that will work when wireless phones lose electricity.
Turn off your heating and air conditioning systems and consider unplugging sensitive electronic appliances such as TVs, VCRs, microwave ovens and home computers, etc., during a power outage. This will protect your appliances against unpreventable voltage fluctuations that may occur as a result of a circuit overload when the power is restored.
Be sure to wait 5 to 10 minutes before turning on appliances and heating systems when power is restored.

Shorecrest Power Outage Affects 570 Customers

About 570 customers in the Shorecrest area east of Shelton are without electricity due to a tree that came in contact with power lines this morning.

PUD 3 linemen are working to make repairs, which are expected to be complete by 1:00 this afternoon.