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12/21/2015 eBulletin Online | Northwest Public Power Association

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Northwest Public Power Association eBulletin

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Monday, December 14, 2015

Legislative Announcements

Congressional leaders prep shortterm CR, omnibus to follow; Energy tax

extenders in play in yearend deal; 75 House members weigh in on cyber

information sharing requirement; Grid security briefing held on Capitol Hill;

House Republican Steering Committee announced; and Sagegrouse land use

plan survives first legal challenge.

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Public Power Industry Announcements

WPUDA presents 2015 Lifetime Achievement Awards at Annual Conference;

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WPUDA honors PUD employees with public service and good Samaritan

awards; Chelan PUD commissioners look to the future in setting 2016

priorities; Grays Harbor PUD commissioners approve 2016 budget; Rayonier

and Grays Harbor PUD reach agreement to close Harbor Paper lease;

Columbia River PUD to hold public hearing on proposed $33.8M budget for

2016; PCWA voices concerns to state water board; OPALCO member capital

credits checks are in the mail; and Alaska middle school students awarded

for taking energy efficiency pledge.

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Associate Member Announcements

ABB announces new products, projects, and accolades.

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Upcoming Educational Opportunities

Looking to plan your training for 2016 or view a catalog of training events?

Click on the button below.

2016 eCatalog PDF

Check out these upcoming training events:

Pathways to Leadership #4 Series 3 Lead Your Organization-Tools

January 1920, 2016

Clear Business Writing Skills

January 2021, 2016

Distribution Dispatching: AC Electrical Theory

January 21, 2016

Employer Collective Bargaining Team Preparations

January 2526, 2016

Leadership Skills Series (formerly Front Line Leadership) Session #5:

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Supervising Union Employees

January 2729, 2016

Staking Technician Certification Program – Sizing Transformers andConductors

February 34, 2016

Employee and Labor Relations Basics

February 4, 2016

Staking Technician Certification Program – Unique Structures

February 45, 2016

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Industry Calendar of Events

Mark your calendars for these upcoming public power meetings.

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RFP/RFQs

Utilities: NWPPA offers its utility members the opportunity (at no cost) to

post RFPs and RFQs on our website at no charge. Reach out to NWPPA’s

almost 4,000 associate member contacts that supply goods and services to

the utility industry and might be interested in responding to your utility

RFP/RFQ. For more information, contact Debbie K. at [email protected].

Associate Members: Make sure to check out NWPPA’s RFP/RFQ Web page

to view utility RFP listings. Listings are posted as they are received by

NWPPA.

New RFPs posted December 7, 8, & 10, 2015!

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Recent Industry Job Openings

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View the job opportunities posted to NWPPA’s website in the past week.

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On This Day in History

George Washington dies at Mount Vernon; The birth of quantum theory;

Amundsen reaches South Pole; and Saturday Night Fever gets its world

premiere and launches a musical juggernaut.

Read more…

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12/21/2015 Legislative Announcements | Northwest Public Power Association

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Legislative Announcements

Congressional leaders prep short-term CR, omnibus to

follow

Update provided by Morgan Meguire

On December 10, the Senate passed a five-day continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal

government open though Wednesday, December 16. The House was expected to pass the resolution

before the end of the day last Friday, when the current funding CR ran out. The resolution will provide

more time for members to hammer out the details of a broader omnibus funding package for FY16.

Some of the known sticking points for members of Congress in getting an omnibus passed are policy

riders that would prevent the enactment of the Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS); impose restrictions

on the resettlement of Syrian refugees; make changes to the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform act;

and repeal the U.S. ban on exporting crude oil.

Western members are looking to add riders for sage grouse with language similar to Natural

Resources Chair Rob Bishop’s (R–Utah) efforts with the National Defense Authorization amendment

earlier in the year. Bishop has said he would consider a temporary reauthorization to the Land Water

Conservation Fund in exchange for sage grouse language and/or lifting the crude oil export ban. Also,

Rep. Mike Simpson (R–Idaho) is working with other western members on an overhaul of the wildfire

budgets.

Negotiators were expected to work through the weekend on the omnibus. House rules require at

least three days to review legislation, making today, December 14, the latest the House can wait to

make public the text of a bill (unless the rule is waived).

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Energy tax extenders in play in year-end deal


Congress is working at a feverish pace to reach agreement on an end-of-session tax extenders

package that may include extension of popular expired or expiring tax credits, including certain

renewable energy tax credits. Discussions between the White House and party leaders are ongoing.

To date, it is unclear if leaders will reach agreement on either a short-term, two-year extension or a

long-term extension, or if the effort will fail to come together at all. A similar set of horse-trading

policy items died late last December, letting several of the tax provisions lapse.

Of particular interest to congressional Democrats and the White House is the revival and extension of

the currently expired Production Tax Credit (PTC) for power produced from wind and other

renewable power sources, one of the items left on last year’s cutting-room floor. The Investment Tax

Credit (ITC) for solar projects does not expire until the end of 2016, but advocates continue to push

for a change this year that would allow the credit to be made available if a project has “commenced

construction” before the expiration date, as opposed to being “placed-in-service.”

The pair of energy credits is reportedly part of what Democrats are asking for in exchange for

agreeing to the Republican priority of lifting the oil export ban. The deal may extend both the PTC and

ITC for a longer period of time (2-3 years), and then phase out the credits. However, it is possible that

the “phase-out” of the ITC may include components of permanent law.

Although consumer-owned utilities are not eligible to receive the PTC or ITC payments, and a number

of public power systems have been able to negotiate purchase agreements with private developers

that result in benefits for their customers.

In order to ensure that something gets passed this session, the House Ways and Means Committee

released a “fall-back” bill on December 8 that would provide a two-year extension for all 52 tax

“extenders,” including the energy credits, in case the longer-term package tanks. The fall-back bill, the

Tax Increase Prevention and Real Estate Investment Act (H.R. 34), was considered by the full House

last week, but does not prevent further negotiations on a broader deal.

75 House members weigh in on cyber information

sharing requirement




On December 8, Reps. Lamar Smith (R–Texas) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D–Md.), along with 73 other

members of Congress, sent a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate

Intelligence and Homeland Security Committees in strong opposition to including a provision

advanced by Sen. Susan Collins (R–Maine) in the final version of cyber security information sharing

legislation.

The Collins language was included in the Senate-passed version of the bill (S.754), and would direct

the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a mitigation strategy and assess the need for

mandatory reporting requirements for critical infrastructure entities “at greatest risk.”

The electric sector cyber coalition and the Protecting America’s Cyber Network Coalition, which

includes the Chamber of Commerce, see the Collins language as contrary to the voluntary nature of

the cyber security information sharing bills and a potential “roadmap” to DHS regulations and/or

mandatory reporting requirements in this area.

Negotiations between the two chambers are almost complete, and there remains the possibility of

sending a final version of the legislation to the President’s desk before Congress adjourns for the

year. NWPPA has strongly supported passage of a cyber information sharing bill.

Grid security briefing held on Capitol Hill


As part of its continuing effort to educate members of Congress and staff about what electric utilities

are doing on cybersecurity, the American Public Power Association (APPA), Edison Electric Institute

(EEI), and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) held a December 7 Capitol Hill

briefing titled, “Grid Security: The Electric Power Industry Perspective: Ensuring Safe, Reliable and

Affordable Electricity in the United States.” Congressional staff heard from representatives from the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC),

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and electric sector on many aspects of grid security.

The panel discussed how FERC and NERC, in conjunction with utility operations experts, develop

mandatory and enforceable standards. The NERC representative spoke about how that process has

worked since the enactment of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, and how the process has been improved

over time – moving standards forward sometimes in less than a year’s timeframe. The EPRI staff



explained the November 2015 GRID EX III exercise that simulated a real-time, multi-pronged “failure

scenario” on the bulk electric system, including how the industry fared, lessons learned, and

previewing a report to further improve the electric sector’s preparedness.

Industry representatives spoke about the federal advisory committee, called the Electricity Subsector

Coordinating Council (ESCC), which is made up of utility industry CEOs who meet three times a year

with senior-level federal officials, including the White House, to coordinate efforts to prepare for and

respond to national-level disasters or threats to critical infrastructure.

House Republican Steering Committee announced


On December 10, House Republicans announced a slate of six new members to serve on the

Republican Steering Committee – a change Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R–Wis.) promised in an effort to

mollify the far-right House Freedom Caucus (HFC) responsible for ousting former-Speaker John

Boehner (R–Ohio).

The GOP’s Steering Committee is responsible for handing out committee assignments, and selecting

committee chairs for fellow members of the Republican Caucus. New members will serve for the

remainder of the 114th Congress as “place holders” until leadership can reconsider regional

representation on the much-vied-for committee.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R–Kan.), a founding member of the vocal conservative wing, was the lone HFC

member voted into the committee. Under former Speaker Boehner, Huelskamp was booted from

prestigious committee assignments for going against leadership one too many times.

Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R–Mich.) earned the most votes and will

represent the Tuesday Group – a moderate contingent of House GOP members – along with Reps.

Susan Brooks (R–Ind.), Tom Cole (R–Okla.), and Mike Rogers (R–Ala.). Upton and Cole were previously

on the Steering Committee, but had to undergo re-election due to Speaker Ryan’s pledge to overhaul

the Committee.

Rep. Jason Smith (R–Mo.), who now represents Jo Ann Emerson’s previous district, was also elected to

Steering Committee. At 35 years of age, Smith is the youngest member of the panel.

Sage-grouse land use plan survives first legal challenge




Nevada Federal District Judge Miranda Du rejected calls by plaintiffs to stop implementation of the

Administration’s sage grouse land-use plans. Several northern Nevada counties and mining

companies brought the suit and were joined by the state attorney general as well as Ninety-Six Ranch

LLC.

Plaintiffs argued that a water storage facility in White Pine had been delayed due to uncertainty over

the plans. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans, they said, could also impede grazing that

could mitigate the risk of wildfire and stifle counties’ ability to maintain and repair roads by restricting

travel. Plaintiffs from the mining industry argued that mining withdrawals in the land-use plans

violate their rights under the General Mining Law of 1872 and jeopardize tens of millions of dollars

invested in northeast Nevada projects.

NWPPA members have been following the sage grouse saga closely, concerned that the federal plans

may interfere with siting or maintaining transmission and distribution lines and other facilities.

Du ruled that the plaintiffs had failed to prove they would suffer “irreparable harm” if the plans were

not preliminarily enjoined. She only addressed their motion for a preliminary injunction to halt the

plans in Nevada.

The battle over the BLM and Forest Service plans is intensifying in Congress, where key Western

lawmakers are pushing hard to block them in the omnibus spending bill.

One top appropriator, House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chair

Mike Simpson (R–Idaho), said he places a higher priority on a rider targeting the BLM plans than he

does on stopping the Waters of the U.S. rule, which is a top priority for many Republicans and some

Democrats. “If they have sage grouse in there, I guarantee there’s 60 Republicans from Western

states that would fight their rear ends off to make sure this bill passes,” Simpson said.









12/21/2015 Public Power Announcements | Northwest Public Power Association

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Public Power Announcements

WPUDA presents 2015 Lifetime Achievement Awards at

Annual Conference

One of the highlights of WPUDA’s Annual Conference was the recognition of outstanding individuals

within the PUD family.

This year there were two PUD commissioners presented with WPUDA’s highest honor, the Lifetime

Achievement Award. Kittitas County PUD Commissioner Roger Sparks and Pacific County PUD

Commissioner Ron Hatfield were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their exemplary

service.

Sparks has served as a PUD commissioner for 42 years. He was active in WPUDA for many years and

in 1981 he was designated to represent Kittitas PUD on the Energy Northwest Board of Directors.

Sparks was elected president of the Energy Northwest Board of Directors in 1987 and served as

president until 1995. He has served Kittitas PUD well over many years, always keeping up on the

issues and working to advance public power.








Chelan County PUD Rocky ReachDan Visitor Services ManagerDebbie Gallaher.

Clark Public Utilities JourneymanNoah Mawae withCommissioners Jane Van Dykeand Nancy Barnes.

Mason PUD No. 3 ServicemenMel Ferrier and Kevin Phillipswith commissioners and GeneralManager Annette Creekpaum.

Grant County PUDCommissioner Larry Schaapman.

Employees of Okanogan PUD.

Hatfield was honored for his more than 27 years of service to the customer-owners of Pacific County

PUD. He has been an avid supporter of public power, dating back to the time when, as a child, he

remembered the PUD’s formation which allowed electricity service to his family home. During his

years of service on the Pacific County PUD Board, Hatfield has helped right the PUD during times of

turbulent change and worked with and educated six different PUD commissioners. He has served on

the of Directors; served as president of NWPPA Board of Trustees; and represented Pacific County

PUD in work with the American Public Power Association, Energy Northwest, and the Public Power

Council.

WPUDA honors PUD employees with public service and

good Samaritan awards

It was an impressive year for PUD employees, with employees from four PUDs receiving WPUDA’s

Good Samaritan Award, and an employee from Chelan County PUD honored for outstanding public

service.



Chelan County PUD Rocky Reach Visitor Services Manager Debbie Gallaher was honored with the

Elmgren Public Service Award in recognition of her commitment and dedication to serving her

community.

Gallaher is a 36-year employee of Chelan County PUD. She has been described as “the Energizer

Bunny” and the “heart” of the PUD. Her enthusiasm and efforts to support the goals of the PUD are

not limited to the workplace — she is active as a community volunteer and civic leader. Her work

includes serving as president of the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors,

secretary of the Foundation for Water & Energy Education, assistant to the Eastmont High School

Dance Team, and panel member for the Chelan County Sheriff Promotion Review Board. She also has

been recognized for her tireless work on behalf of Chelan PUD and contributions to utility education

efforts.

This year, there were four Good Samaritan Awards presented to PUD employees who, in the past

year, demonstrated meritorious action in a life-threatening situation.

Clark Public Utilities Journeyman Noah Mawae was honored for performing the Heimlich maneuver

on a co-worker choking on food. The quick actions by Mawae cleared food that was blocking his co-

worker’s airway, allowing him to breathe.

Mason County PUD Servicemen Mel Ferrier and Kevin Phillips came to the aid of an injured motorist,

contacted emergency responders, and comforted the woman until assistance could arrive.

Grant County PUD Commissioner Larry Schaapman was honored for coming to the aid of his

neighbors when a wildfire threatened their homes. He mounted his tractor and helped build a fire

line to contain the blaze, preventing it from burning homes and threatening lives.

The employees of Okanogan PUD were honored for their heroic actions to preserve property and

protect the community in the face of raging wildfires. The crews not only protected PUD

infrastructure, but selflessly protected the homes of citizens even when their own homes were

threatened.

Chelan PUD commissioners look to the future in

setting 2016 priorities

On December 7, Chelan PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) commissioners unanimously approved the utility’s

2016 budget that carries out priorities for investing in physical assets and employees, continuing to



pay down debt, and supporting the Public Power Benefit projects chosen by community members

during strategic planning.

Board members also modified and extended the moratorium on applications for service to large

loads, narrowing it to server farms and similar technology operations with intense energy use of 250

kilowatt hours (kWh) per square-foot or more per year, such as “bitcoin miners.” Commissioners set

in motion steps toward proposing a new rate class for those users at 5.036 cents per kWh to cover

the cost of service, keep District finances stable, and protect value for all customer-owners.

Commissioners continued the modified moratorium to at least March 7, 2016.

There is no general electric rate increase in next year’s budget. Substantial positive bottom line

results are predicted for next year and through the next five years even as Chelan PUD keeps paying

down debt, refurbishes dam turbines and generators, and continues its strategic plan-defined Public

Power Benefit investments.

Debt repayment of $23 million is planned for 2016, keeping the utility on pace to achieve its 35

percent debt to equity mark one year early – by the end of 2018. Bottom line results for 2016 are

forecast at about $76 million reflecting expected lower wholesale market prices. The revised forecast

is within 1 percent of previous estimates. Continuing investments in major capital projects are set at

about $64 million.

Next year’s budget has funding for Public Power Benefit programs, including the day use parking pass

pilot, installation of up to nine electric vehicle charging stations, and beginning construction of an

expanded wholesale fiber-optic network. Commissioners also invited customers to submit new Public

Power Benefit proposals by January 1, 2016, for future projects to be considered during budgeting for

2017 and beyond.

Three people spoke at the hearing on the application moratorium for high-density loads. Two local

businesses owners described the impact the new rate class would have on their business and

suggested an alternative approach. A third speaker emphasized the job opportunities brought to the

area by server farms. Commissioners set another public hearing for 1 p.m. on March 7, 2016, to

gather more public comment and consider further action on the moratorium. They also set public

meetings and a hearing to get feedback on the proposed rate class for energy-intense users

developed since the moratorium on applications was put in place a year ago.

Commissioners approved a new two-year conservation target after hearing from Energy

Development and Conservation Manager Andrew Grassell who reported on analysis to establish the

District’s next goals to meet its state Energy Independence Act (I-937) requirements. No comments

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were received at the hearing to gather public input on the two-year energy conservation target of

1.66 average-megawatts, which represents enough energy to power about 690 average Chelan

County homes. Grassell said the goal is about 20 percent less than the previous target set in 2013 due

to factors including the success of past programs, lower market prices, and customer use of more

energy-efficient products.

Grays Harbor PUD commissioners approve 2016 budget

Echoing the sentiments of commissions, boards, and councils throughout the county, the Grays

Harbor PUD (Aberdeen, Wash.) Board of Commissioners have approved a “hold the line” budget for

2016. The $89.3 million Operations and Maintenance (O&M) budget maintains current staff levels and

represents only 1-percent growth, while the $7.8 million capital budget maintains system

maintenance and reliability efforts while coming in nearly $2.5 million below the 2015 total.

“While this budget lacks glitz and glamour, it has enough substance to see the Grays Harbor PUD

through 2016.” said Commission President Russ Skolrood. “We asked our department heads to make

some hard choices and limit expenses wherever possible. The document we have approved does

that.”

The budget approved assumes a weaker-than-usual secondary power market (where the utility sells

its surplus power) and a warmer winter, meaning less energy use by PUD customers. Those factors

are expected to contribute to lower revenue for the utility and create the need for a rate increase in

2016.

“We will be asking for an increase in the coming year, but it would be premature to speculate on the

size of that increase. It’s not something that anyone wants to do, but the market and climate factors

are having a huge impact on the utility’s bottom line,” said Skolrood. “In the coming months, PUD staff

will examine the available options, including the results of a cost of service study and determine early

next year what increase will be necessary.”

In addition to the O&M budget, the commissioners also approved a $7.8-million capital budget that

will include:

$4.5 million in transmission and distribution system improvements and maintenance

$1.6 million in substation maintenance and replacement work

$1.6 million in general plant projects, including fleet maintenance, facilities, tools, IT, and

communications



"At this point we are focusing on power system equipment that is breaking or broken, and putting our

attention where it is needed most," said PUD Engineering Manager Schuyler Burkhart.

"This is a capital budget that keeps the utility in line with the markets, rates, and other factors that

determine the revenue we will have to pay for improvement and maintenance projects," said PUD

General Manager Dave Ward. "I feel that the hard work put in by our staff on system maintenance

and vegetation management over the last two years will allow the utility to absorb the smaller than

normal capital budget and continue our mission of providing safe, affordable, and reliable services to

our customers."

Rayonier and Grays Harbor PUD reach agreement to

close Harbor Paper lease

After two years of activity, the Grays Harbor PUD (Aberdeen, Wash.) has reached an agreement with

Rayonier A. M. Properties, LLC to bring the utility’s involvement at the former Harbor Paper site in

Hoquiam to a close.

On December 7, the PUD’s board of commissioners was presented with a final agreement

terminating the lease the utility has held at the now-demolished paper mill site. Once a key driver in

the Grays Harbor economy, all that is left at the mill site are the concrete remains of the main facility.

Under the terms of the agreement, the PUD will place $385,000 in an escrow account to cover the

cost of removing the concrete from the site. If after a four-year period the money remains, $200,000

will be returned to the PUD, while $185,000 will be paid to Rayonier to cover the cost of removing the

remaining rubble. Under the terms of the agreement, the rubble is available for third-party use and

transportation off of the former mill site.

“When the utility became involved with Harbor Paper, the goal was to help maintain hundreds of

family-wage jobs and be responsible for the generation of renewable energy (at the facility’s biomass

turbines),” said PUD General Manager Dave Ward. “When the facility closed its doors, the goal shifted

to completing our contractual obligations at the lowest possible impact to our customers. In that we

were successful.”

Over the past two years the PUD was responsible for the demolition and disposal of the mill’s

wastewater treatment facility and the disposal of tens of thousands of tons of paper production

byproducts, ranging from clarifier solid waste to a large hill of boiler ash. By value engineering the

project and seeking out the lowest-cost alternative, the utility was able to lower the final cost from an



estimated $10 million to just over $4 million. Thanks to $2.7 million from the 2015-17 state capital

budget, the final cost to the utility ended at under $1.5 million.

“This was a true team effort. From the drivers who moved the materials to our Legal and Special

Projects representatives who coordinated the project, all those involved helped the utility succeed in

reaching the goal of bringing the project in at the lowest possible cost,” said Commission President

Russ Skolrood. “With this agreement, the Grays Harbor PUD can again focus all our attentions on our

primary mission: to provide valuable utility services to our customers.”

Columbia River PUD to hold public hearing on

proposed $33.8M budget for 2016

Columbia River People’s Utility District will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on December 15, 2015, to

hear comments on its proposed $33.8 million Operating and Capital Budget for 2016. The hearing will

be held in the Community Room of the PUD’s Deer Island, Ore., headquarters.

The proposed 2016 budget is 0.3 percent, or $108,000, lower than the 2015 budget and makes a

small contribution to cash reserves. Controllable expenses are $932,000 lower than 2015; fixed costs

are $824,000 higher.

"The 2016 budget represents our focus on working smarter and more efficiently so we can control

costs and provide the same reliable, affordable electric service that our customers have always

received from us," said Interim General Manager John Nguyen.

Controllable expenses, including capital equipment, are budgeted at $10.24 million. This is the lowest

level since 2009.

Wholesale power costs, which make up 57.3 percent of the total budget, are projected to be $19.38

million; this is an increase of $1.10 million over the 2015 budget. The change is primarily the result of

a wholesale power and transmission rate increase enacted by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)

in October 2015. BPA raised wholesale power rates for the PUD by 7.2 percent and raised

transmission rates by 3.4 percent.

The PUD does not plan to make any rate changes in 2016.

The PUD completed a Cost of Service Analysis this summer and enacted a 6.4-percent overall rate

increase on October 1, 2015. The increase was lower than the amount recommended by the analysis,



which was based on projected future revenues and expenses.

"We have found ways to reduce expenses without sacrificing customer service or reliability, to help

minimize the impact to customers of increasing wholesale power costs," said Nguyen. "This allowed

our board of directors to keep rates affordable by adopting a smaller rate increase than the Cost of

Service Analysis recommended."

On average, the PUD’s residential electric rates are about 34 percent lower than those charged by

Portland General Electric, which previously served customers in the area. The PUD’s lower prices

saved residential customers an average of $570 each in 2014, and similar savings are occurring in

2015.

Overall operating revenues are projected to rise to $31.54 million, which is $2.58 million (or 8.9

percent) higher than 2015 levels. A warm winter in 2015 that produced lower-than-projected

revenues, lower industrial loads in 2015, and the rate changes implemented in October 2015 are the

largest factors in the increase.

The 2016 capital construction expense of $2.49 million is well within the PUD’s historical capital

budget spending levels of $2 – $3 million annually.

The largest capital project in 2016 will be the replacement of a 54-year-old transformer at Rosehill

Substation in St. Helens. This project is part of the PUD’s long-range capital improvement plan that

was developed in 2010 to ensure that the PUD is able to accommodate growth in the area and

provide reliable service to all customers, now and in the future.

The capital budget also includes a distribution line to tie two substations together; several projects to

upgrade overhead power lines and move lines underground; and a project to replace transformers

and underground cables at a local marina.

The PUD will fund all 2016 operations through electric rates and cash reserves. The board does not

plan to issue any long-term debt during 2016. The PUD recently refinanced its remaining long-term

debt, resulting in a savings of $353,000 in interest expenses, and is on track to pay off all long-term

debt by 2020.

The PUD uses cash reserves to provide contingency funds for long-term capital construction projects,

customer deposits, short-term operating expenses, storm response, and strategic capital

investments. The proposed 2016 Budget adds $7,602 to the year-end cash reserve balance,

compared with a 2015 budgeted cash drawdown of $1.98 million. Cash reserves for 2016 are



projected to remain above the $8.2-million target previously set by the board.

"The staff has worked very hard to provide the board with a sound, balanced, and fiscally responsible

budget for 2016," said Nguyen. "This will allow us to continue to carry out our mission to provide

quality services at the lowest practical cost."

PCWA voices concerns to state water board

In a letter addressed to the State Water Resources Control Board, the Placer County Water Agency

(Auburn, Calif.) called for modifications to the urban water conservation mandate adopted by the

state in May. The letter responded to questions posed by the State Water Resources Control Board, in

advance of its public workshop on the regulations on December 7, 2015. The PCWA Board of

Directors discussed the letter and the Agency’s proposed modifications at its meeting on December 7.

“The current conservation regulations ignore California’s geographic and climate diversity, and are

not a long-term solution to the current drought,” PCWA General Manager Einar Maisch said. “Our staff

has done a tremendous job working with agencies across the state to develop common-sense

adjustments which produce greater equity. We hope the State Water Board will consider our

suggestions.”

In the letter, PCWA stressed the need for adjustments that recognize differences in climate and land

use density to equalize the impacts of conservation. Because hotter, inland areas had much higher

conservation requirements than cooler, coastal areas, PCWA customers suffered significantly higher

financial and quality of life losses in terms of dead and dying landscapes and stressed urban forests.

The Agency also argued that conservation requirements should not limit the use of local drought-

resilient water supplies, and must be flexible and responsive to developing hydrologic conditions

through the winter and spring of 2016.

PCWA Director Robert Dugan testified on behalf of the Agency at the State Water Resources Control

Board’s Urban Water Conservation Workshop in Sacramento.

OPALCO member capital credits checks are in the mail

If you were a member of OPALCO (Eastsound, Wash.) in 1990, you may be among the 4,343 people

who will get a check from OPALCO later this month as capital credits are distributed. Because of

budgetary constraints, the capital credits checks distributed this year will represent 50 percent of the

total margin allocated in 1990. The balance of that margin will be distributed to members in future



years, as finances permit.

The total amount being distributed this year is $433,016, with check amounts ranging from $5 to

thousands of dollars (large users like schools and grocery stores). The majority of the checks are in

the range of $100 to $250.

This year, the board chose to pay out 50 percent of the 1990 margins in order to prepare for the

financially intensive submarine cable replacement project from Lopez to San Juan Island.

“It’s not uncommon for co‐ops to postpone or spread out the distribution of capital credits during

periods of major capital projects,” said Board President Jim Lett. “We expect to catch up on this year’s

partial distribution and return to our regular pattern of returning capital credits on a 25‐year cycle

within a year or two of completing our submarine cable replacement project.”

Alaska middle school students awarded for taking

energy efficiency pledge

Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association (MEA),

Municipal Light & Power (ML&P), and Renewable Energy Alaska

Project (REAP) held the 2015 Power Pledge Challenge for middle

school students in the Anchorage School District and the

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. The grand prize-

winning class is from Romig Middle School and was presented with

an award by Alaska First Lady Donna Walker last Friday, December

11.

More than 2,000 local middle school students, from 74 classrooms in 10 middle schools, participated

in the 2015 Power Pledge Challenge. This two-week challenge, held in cooperation with the Alaska

Energy Authority, aimed to help youth better understand how they use energy, how to calculate the

cost of their usage, and the importance of taking measures to use energy efficiently at home and

school.

Representatives from Chugach, MEA, ML&P, and REAP visited participating classes and presented on

how to calculate energy usage, the importance of using energy efficiently, and specific and realistic

ways in which students can reduce their usage. Students completed a hands-on activity from the AK

EnergySmart curriculum, a resource developed in Alaska to teach kids about energy. To qualify for the

challenge, students then conducted an online home energy audit with their families and identified



specific actions they would take to use energy more efficiently.

“Today’s Alaskan students are the key to our energy future and educating them about energy

efficiency is one piece in creating scientifically literate citizens,” said Ben Walker, science teacher for

the grand prize-winning class. “Considering the big issues they will face as adults, such as climate

change, students need to understand there is no one solution to Alaska’s energy challenges and

energy efficiency is one piece of a bigger puzzle."

Each student who completed the online energy pledge earned a single entry for their class into a

drawing to win a field trip to a local power plant and a pizza party. One student winner was drawn

from the Anchorage School District, and another from the area served by the Matanuska-Susitna

Borough plus the ASD area from Eagle River to the Knik River. For the grand prize, each classroom

that had 75 percent or greater student participation in the pledge was entered to win an ice cream

party with Alaska First Lady Donna Walker.

The winning classes are Hanshew Middle School, teacher Lauren O’Connor, 4th-period science class

(Anchorage School District Winner); Palmer Jr. Middle School, teacher Robin Mullican, 4th-period

science class (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District and Eagle River Winner); and Romig Middle

School, teacher Ben Walker, 3rd-period science class (Grand Prize Winner).







12/21/2015 Associate Member Announcements | Northwest Public Power Association

http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/associatemember/ 1/2

Associate Member Announcements

ABB announces new products, projects, and accolades

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group,

has been busy! Last week it introduced a new 1400 frame

size synchronous generator to expand its proven AMS

platform. Covering the power range from 60 to 85 MVA at

voltages from 3 to 15 kV, the new 4-pole generators enable

higher unit powers and more economical genset designs.

The new 1400 frame size generators now enable OEMs to

use economical 4-pole technology also in their higher

power gensets, as well as to increase the power in hot

environments where de-rating is needed. Previously, the

need for de-rating could mean that the required output

exceeded the 4-pole range and 2-pole solutions had to be

used.

The same week, ABB announced that its new circuit monitoring system (CMS) sensor portfolio has

been extended with sensors that measure currents up to 160 amps (AC and DC, TRMS), and can be

installed in almost every environment with any product. CMS sensors are among the most compact

on the market, and are designed for high performance. The system consists of a control unit and

sensors with different measurement ranges and mounting options. Up to 64 sensors can be

connected to each control unit. The sensors are linked to the control unit via a flat cable.

Measurement data are remotely accessible via a RS485 Modbus RTU interface.

In addition to the new products, ABB will supply a Symphony Plus automation solution for the 320-

megawatt (MW) Topolobampo fuel-fired power plant in the state of Sinaloa, in western Mexico. Prior


®





12/21/2015 Associate Member Announcements | Northwest Public Power Association

http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/associatemember/ 2/2

to the plant conversion, ABB has supplied its control system Procontrol™ P14 which will be removed

and replaced with Symphony Plus Rack and Operations hardware and control software. Symphony

Plus is ABB’s flagship automation platform for the power generation and water industries. It is one of

the most widely used DCS in these industries, and one of the most reliable and efficient control

automation systems available today.

Lastly, has been recognized by the ARC Advisory Group as the global leader in distributed control

systems (DCS) and as the number-one-positioned supplier of DCS (distributed control system) in the

power generation segment. From the ARC DCS Worldwide Outlook annual study, ABB’s leadership

position in the distributed control systems market was fully demonstrated by consistently placing first

in key global verticals – including energy and energy-intensive industries – and in the DCS service,

hardware, and software categories.

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and

infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The

ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 140,000 people. For

more details about any of the above information, visit www.abb.com.







12/21/2015 Calendar of Events | Northwest Public Power Association

http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/eventscalendar/ 1/1

Calendar of Events

2016 Upcoming Industry Meetings

Send your 2016 meeting dates and locations to Debbie at [email protected].

February 2016

14-17 – NRECA Annual Meeting & EXPO, New Orleans, LA

March 2016

7-9 – APPA Legislative Rally, Washington, D.C.








http://www.publicpower.org/Events/Landing.cfm?ItemNumber=30339&navItemNumber=38290


12/21/2015 RFP/RFQs | Northwest Public Power Association

https://www.nwppa.org/rfprfqs/ 1/8

RFP/RFQs

NWPPA offers its members the opportunity to post RFPs and RFQs on our website at no charge. For

more information or questions, contact Debbie K. at [email protected] or complete the form below.

CURRENT RFPs/RFQs

Bid No. 15-73

Chelan River Macroinvertebrate Investigation

Chelan County PUD

Response Deadline: Friday, January 15, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.

Posted: 12/16/2015

Proposals will be received by Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington (the “District”),

at the office of Procurement and Contract Services, Attention Ms. Lou Pratto, Contract Specialist, 327

North Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington 98801, until 3:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time,

January 15, 2016, for

CHELAN RIVER MACROINVERTEBRATE INVESTIGATION

The Request for Proposal documents are available for viewing on our website in read only format at

http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/pcs_bids/. The online file is provided as a courtesy to the Prospective

Proposers. Prospective Proposers shall not rely solely upon the online Request for Proposal

documents. The District makes no representation as to the completeness of the online file. Requests

are accepted online at http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/pcs_bids/, or in writing to P.O. Box 1231,

Wenatchee, WA 98801, or by telephone at (509) 663-8121 or (888) 663-8121 at no charge for the

Submit an RFP/RFQ Form

https://www.nwppa.org/


http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/pcs_bids/

http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/pcs_bids/



Request for Proposal documents.

The District specifically reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, and to waive informalities, and

to accept any Proposal which the District deems to be in the District’s best interest.

Bid No. 15-70

Supply of Distribution Cable and Conductor

Chelan County PUD

Response Deadline: Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

Posted: 12/15/2015

Sealed bids will be received by Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County, Washington, at the office

of the District, Attention: Mark Belton, Procurement and Contract Services, 327B North Wenatchee

Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801, until 2:00 pm, Pacific Time, Thursday, January 7, 2016, for

supplying all labor, materials, tools, equipment, facilities, and all other appliances and supplies as

specified, and performing all work required in accordance with the Contract Documents.

The Contract Documents, in whole or in part, may be available in read-only format at

http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/PCS_Bids. Prospective Bidders may obtain Contract Documents in

electronic format from the Procurement and Contract Services Department. Requests are accepted

online at http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/PCS_Bids, or in writing to P.O. Box 1231, Wenatchee, WA

98807, or by telephone at (509) 661-4479 or (888) 663-8121, extension 4479, or may be viewed in

person at 327B N. Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington. The District makes every effort to

insure the completeness of the electronic file. If there are any questions, please contact the

Procurement and Contract Services department at the number stated above.

No pre-bid site inspection has been scheduled for this Project. If you have questions, please contact

the Project Manager below:

Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County

P.O. Box 1231, 327 North Wenatchee Avenue

Wenatchee, Washington 98807

Telephone: (509) 661-4867, or toll free at (888) 663-8121, extension 4867.

Attention: Lyle Moore

The District reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids, to waive informalities, and to accept any

http://www.chelanpud.org/cf/PCS_Bids




bid which is in the District’s best interests.

Bid No. 15-63

2016 District Wide Excavation Services

Chelan County PUD

Response Deadline: Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

Posted: 12/10/2015


of the District, Attention: Jackie Krueger, Procurement and Contract Services, 327B North Wenatchee

Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801, until 2:00 pm, Pacific Time, Tuesday, December 29, 2015,

for supplying all labor, materials, tools, equipment, facilities, and all other appliances and supplies as
















Attention: Vern Chamberlain







Bid No. 15-59

Wood Pole Test and Treat

Chelan County PUD


Posted: 12/08/2015



Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801, until 2:30 pm, Pacific Time, Tuesday, December 22, 2015,

for supplying all labor, materials, tools, equipment, facilities, and all other appliances and supplies as










Bidders desiring to bid on Bid No. 15-59, Wood Pole Test and Treat, must be prequalified to perform

the Work as required by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 54.04.085) in order to obtain copies of

the bidding documents, including the bid form, for such work.







Attention: Daniel Scott







Bid No. 29

RFP for Electric Substation Engineering

Silicon Valley Power

Santa Clara, CA

Posted: 12/07/2015

Department: Silicon Valley Power, Business

Category: RFP & RFQ

RFP Number: 29

Start Date: 11/13/2015

Close Date: 12/12/2015

Advertisement & documents can be found at:

http://www.siliconvalleypower.com/Home/Components/RFP/RFP/319/2240

Bid No. 33

RFP For Refrigerator Recycling Program


Santa Clara, CA

Posted: 12/07/2015

Department: Silicon Valley Power

Category: Bids

RFP Number: 33

Start Date: 12/04/2015 10:30 AM

Close Date: 01/27/2016 4:00 PM

Advertisement & documents can be found at:


Bid No. 33

Rock Island Dam Powerhouse 2 Governor Controls Installation







Posted: 12/04/2015


of the District, Attention: Christi VanWagner, Procurement and Contract Services, 327B North

Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801, until 1:30 pm, Pacific Time, Tuesday,

December 22, 2015, for supplying all labor, materials, tools, equipment, facilities, and all other

appliances and supplies as specified, and performing all work required in accordance with the

Contract Documents.









A mandatory pre-bid meeting and site visit will be conducted at the Chelan County side of Rock Island

Dam on December 15, 2015 beginning at 10:00 am. Attendees will meet at the Rock Island Guard Post

No. 6, located on the Chelan County side of the dam, approximately two miles south of Alcoa, then

left on Rock Island Dam Road, where a brief meeting will be held before proceeding to the work site.

All attendees must register online by 12:00 pm on December 14, 2015. IMPORTANT: Any

contractor/vendor business not pre-registered for the pre-bid meeting will be denied access to the

hydroelectric project. Valid photo identification should be carried for potential verification with

meeting registration list.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required at this location in order to attend the site visit. The

following PPE is required to be used by all attendees: shirts with sleeves and full length trousers;

sturdy leather footwear; eye protection; hard hat.

If you have questions, please contact the Project Manager below:





Attention: John Sagerser







Bid No. 15-64

2016 District Tree Trimming

Chelan PUD

Wenatchee, Washington

Response Deadline: Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.

Posted: 12/03/2015



Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801, until 2:30 pm, Pacific Time, Thursday, December 17,

2015, for supplying all labor, materials, tools, equipment, facilities, and all other appliances and

supplies as specified, and performing all work required in accordance with the Contract Documents.









Bidders desiring to bid on Bid No. 15-64, 2016 District Tree Trimming, must be prequalified to

perform the Work as required by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 54.04.085) in order to obtain

copies of the bidding documents, including the bid form, for such work.











Attention: William Sanborn





12/21/2015 Jobs | Northwest Public Power Association

http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/jobs/ 1/1

Jobs

Recent job openings within the industry in the last week:

Nisqually Hydro Project Manager – City of Tacoma

Journeyman Lineman – Copper Valley Electric Association, Inc.

Shoreline & Lands Coordinator – City of Tacoma

Director of Customer Acquisition – NW Natural



View all available jobs




http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/this-day-in-history/

http://members.nwppa.org/JobBank/JobListingDetails.aspx?ResponseID=312N8Q44

http://members.nwppa.org/JobBank/JobListingDetails.aspx?ResponseID=3T2E8V57

http://members.nwppa.org/JobBank/JobListingDetails.aspx?ResponseID=3R2P856K

http://members.nwppa.org/JobBank/JobListingDetails.aspx?ResponseID=3M2F8P7W

http://members.nwppa.org/jobbank/joblistings.aspx


12/21/2015 This Day In History | Northwest Public Power Association

http://www.nwppa.org/ebulletin/thisdayinhistory/ 1/5

This Day In History

George Washington dies at Mount Vernon

December 14, 1799

A major landholder and promoter of western settlement, George Washington dies on this day in 1799

at his Mount Vernon home along the banks of the Potomac.

From an early age, the future first president of the United States had a passionate interest in the vast

unsettled territories of the West. Like many other aristocratic Virginians, Washington coveted land,

and most ambitious young men of the eighteenth century had one way to acquire land: they went

west.

As a 16-year-old in 1748, Washington made the first of several long journeys into the West, working as

a skilled surveyor in the Shenandoah Valley. Unusually tall and strong, Washington loved the wild

western lands of Virginia and was an excellent frontiersman. From the start, Washington’s ambitions

were unabashedly mercenary, and he could not gaze on any tract of pristine land without considering

its potential for development and profit. To that end, Washington had little tolerance for the

remaining bands of Indians he encountered during his travels, writing in his journal that he found

their war dances “comical.” Washington also had a strong distaste for the illegal pioneers who

squatted on western lands they did not own, calling one group of Pennsylvania Germans as “Ignorant

a Set of People as the Indians.” Washington believed both the Indians and the illegal squatters would

need to be removed if the land was to be properly settled and exploited.

After joining the colonial military to defend British interests in the West, Washington moved quickly to

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increase his own land holdings and develop them for profit. As a reward for his military service,

Washington claimed 30,000 acres of prime agricultural land along the Kanawha and Ohio rivers west

of the Appalachian Mountains (an area that lies in modern-day West Virginia and Ohio). To solidify his

claim and begin generating a profit, Washington advertised for settlers and purchased indentured

servants to colonize his holdings.

The outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775 and Washington’s growing political responsibilities

often interfered with his personal plans for western expansion during the following years, and he

rarely had time to visit his distant landholdings. Not surprisingly, when he became the first president

of the United States, Washington strongly endorsed the idea that the young nation must expand

westward and settle the Trans-Appalachian regions of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. It remained

for Washington’s successors to fully realize his vision, but the first president led his countrymen in

speculating on and profiting from the sale and rent of western lands.

The birth of quantum theory

December 14, 1900

German physicist Max Planck publishes his groundbreaking study of the effect of radiation on a

“blackbody” substance, and the quantum theory of modern physics is born.

Through physical experiments, Planck demonstrated that energy, in certain situations, can exhibit

characteristics of physical matter. According to theories of classical physics, energy is solely a

continuous wave-like phenomenon, independent of the characteristics of physical matter. Planck’s

theory held that radiant energy is made up of particle-like components, known as “quantum.” The

theory helped to resolve previously unexplained natural phenomena such as the behavior of heat in

solids and the nature of light absorption on an atomic level. In 1918, Planck was rewarded the Nobel

Prize in physics for his work on blackbody radiation.

Other scientists, such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Louis de Broglie, Erwin Schrodinger, and Paul M.

Dirac, advanced Planck’s theory and made possible the development of quantum mechanics–a

mathematical application of the quantum theory that maintains that energy is both matter and a

wave, depending on certain variables. Quantum mechanics thus takes a probabilistic view of nature,

sharply contrasting with classical mechanics, in which all precise properties of objects are, in

principle, calculable. Today, the combination of quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of relativity

is the basis of modern physics.



Amundsen reaches South Pole

December 14, 1911

Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating his British

rival, Robert Falcon Scott.

Amundsen, born in Borge, near Oslo, in 1872, was one of the great figures in polar exploration. In

1897, he was first mate on a Belgian expedition that was the first ever to winter in the Antarctic. In

1903, he guided the 47-ton sloop Gjöathrough the Northwest Passage and around the Canadian

coast, the first navigator to accomplish the treacherous journey. Amundsen planned to be the first

man to the North Pole, and he was about to embark in 1909 when he learned that the American

Robert Peary had achieved the feat.

Amundsen completed his preparations and in June 1910 sailed instead for Antarctica, where the

English explorer Robert F. Scott was also headed with the aim of reaching the South Pole. In early

1911, Amundsen sailed his ship into Antarctica’s Bay of Whales and set up base camp 60 miles closer

to the pole than Scott. In October, both explorers set off–Amundsen using sleigh dogs, and Scott

employing Siberian motor sledges, Siberian ponies, and dogs. On December 14, 1911, Amundsen’s

expedition won the race to the Pole and returned safely to base camp in late January.

Scott’s expedition was less fortunate. The motor sleds broke down, the ponies had to be shot, and the

dog teams were sent back as Scott and four companions continued on foot. On January 18, 1912, they

reached the pole only to find that Amundsen had preceded them by over a month. Weather on the

return journey was exceptionally bad–two members perished–and a storm later trapped Scott and

the other two survivors in their tent only 11 miles from their base camp. Scott’s frozen body was

found later that year.

After his historic Antarctic journey, Amundsen established a successful shipping business. He later

made attempts to become the first explorer to fly over the North Pole. In 1925, in an airplane, he flew

within 150 miles of the goal. In 1926, he passed over the North Pole in a dirigible just three days after

American explorer Richard E. Byrd had apparently done so in an aircraft. In 1996, a diary that Byrd

had kept on the flight was found that seemed to suggest that the he had turned back 150 miles short

of its goal because of an oil leak, making Amundsen’s dirigible expedition the first flight over the

North Pole.

In 1928, Amundsen lost his life while trying to rescue a fellow explorer whose dirigible had crashed at



sea near Spitsbergen, Norway.

Saturday Night Fever gets its world premiere and

launches a musical juggernaut

December 14, 1977

In a 2008 interview on BBC Radio 4, Robin Gibb confessed to making it through only the first 30

minutes of the world premiere, and to never having seen the rest of the picture in the decades that

followed. Millions of Americans did, however, make it through the film that made a movie star out of

23-year-old John Travolta and propelled the already famous Mr. Gibb, along with his brothers Maurice

and Barry, to a level of superstardom rarely achieved before or since. The film, of course,

was Saturday Night Fever, a pop-cultural juggernaut that had its world premiere at Mann’s Chinese

Theater in Los Angeles on this day in 1977.

Well-cast, well-acted and well-directed, Saturday Night Fever earned positive reviews from many

critics, including the late Gene Siskel, who called it his favorite film ever. But whatever its other

cinematic merits, even the film’s strongest proponents would agree that it was the pulsing disco

soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever that made it a work of lasting historical significance. From its

iconic opening sequence featuring John Travolta strutting down a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, sidewalk to the

tune of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” to its unforgettable dance numbers set in the fictional 2001

Odyssey discotheque, the music complemented the action in Saturday Night Fever as perfectly as if it

were written for the movie, even though most of it wasn’t. In fact, other than “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night

Fever,” every song that appeared in Saturday Night Fever had been written, recorded and in some

cases released before the film ever went into production. Among those songs were: The Trammps’

“Disco Inferno” (1976); KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Boogie Shoes” (1975); Walter Murphy’s “A Fifth of

Beethoven” (1976); and the Bee Gees’ own “You Should Be Dancin’” (1976).

Two songs the Bee Gees wrote shortly before hearing about Saturday Night Fever—””If I Can’t Have

You” and “How Deep Is Your Love”—would be among the four #1 pop hits launched by the movie’s

landmark soundtrack album. “How Deep Is Your Love” was the debut single from the album, released

fully a month before the movie itself and hitting #1 on the Billboard pop chart just a week after the

movie’s opening. This now-familiar approach to marketing a movie through its soundtrack, and vice

versa, was highly innovative at the time. Indeed, the promotional synergy between the Saturday Night

Fever soundtrack and movie is widely credited with helping to revolutionize both movie and music



marketing.


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