2020 Budget Approved by BOC

The PUD’s budget is unique among local governing agencies. Its largest source of revenue comes from the sale of electricity it purchases from another government agency, which is also its single largest expense. Much of the rest of the budget is the cost of keeping that electricity flowing.
In 2020 power purchases from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) are estimated at $17.2 million, while income from the sale of electricity is projected at $37 million.
Water revenues are expected to total $3.6 million in 2020, with expenses of about $3.4 million to deliver the services. Water revenues also include income from the PUD’s 370 septic/sewer customers. Water and sewer customers total just over 5,000. The PUD has approximately 19,800 electric customers.
In preparing the 2020 operating budget, General Manager Kevin Streett and Financial Services Manager Mike Bailey kept sales of power and water even with 2019, based on the actuals of the last twelve months. General expenses were raised 2.5% based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), however the PUD is projecting a 5% rise in fleet expenses based on the cost of adding new vehicles and a dedicated fleet manager added to personnel.
The PUD’s Capital Budget totals $9 million, with nearly half earmarked for the remodel of the PUD’s operations facility. The bulk of the rest is dedicated to capital investments and improvements to the electrical grid. Around $500K is dedicated to converting overhead lines to underground across the county. Another ~$500K is dedicated to substation upgrades. Other funds are dedicated to new customer connections, pole and transformer upgrades, SCADA improvements, and other system reliability and security measures.
Capital improvements budgeted for the water department include pipe replacement in the Coyle and Bywater systems, a replacement well in Gardiner, a new wellhouse in Triton Cove (Brinnon), SCADA improvements, and costs to finish the water connection on the bridge from Indian to Marrowstone Island.