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Upcoming Meetings & Events
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Citizen Advisory Board Meeting
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Special Meeting of the BOC: Rate Study
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Special Meeting of the BOC: Audit Exit Interview
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CARES funds still available for past-due bills
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At the start of the pandemic, the PUD immediately suspended late fees and ceased shutoffs for lack of payment. Not long after, Governor Inslee instituted a statewide moratorium on shut-offs for non pay. Currently that moratorium is in place until April 30th, 2021.
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Whether or not the moratorium will be extended we don't know. What we do know is that it will end sometime and very likely this year. At that time the PUD will return to its policy of instituting $5 late fees for each service with a balance due beyond 24 days and shutting off services for customers with balances greater than $75 past due more than 56 days after the initial bill was generated. When this happens hundreds of PUD customers will be at risk of losing services.
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The PUD makes every effort to help customers avoid shutoff. We have multiple payment arrangement tools available for customers to manage larger unpaid balances. In December we also received $40,000 in federal CARES Act funds from Jefferson County to directly help business customers who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses can apply for the funds on the PUD website or by calling customer service during business hours. Funds can pay down a portion of past due balances of 60 days or more on PUD water, electric, and sewer services. Apply ASAP as much of the funds have been expended. Deadline is March 15.
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Household customers with past due utility bills who've been financially impacted by COVID-19 should contact OlyCAP, who also received CARES act funds from Jefferson County. OlyCAP's funding can be applied to non-PUD services like garbage, propane or City of Port Townsend water/sewer, as well as PUD utility services.
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Call (360) 385-2571 or go to go to olycap.org to begin the process of applying for household utility bill help. Depending on income, OlyCAP may be able to offer additional services like rent relief, home heating help, or housing services.
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Rogers hired as Engineering Admin Assistant
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Kara Rogers and PUD Engineering Director Samantha Harper first worked together at the City of Port Townsend. Rogers left the City in 2018 to raise her children and manage the carpet cleaning business she owns with her husband. With her two kids a little older and the business nearly running itself, Rogers decided to rejoin Harper at the PUD at the start of 2021. Rogers has an eye for detail hopes to help improve processes and efficiency at the PUD and in the engineering department. Rogers was born and raised in Port Townsend. Though she has deep roots here and lots of family, she admits she could use a bit more sun and warmth.
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How does the PUD decide who gets restored first in large outages? Safety is the PUD’s first priority. PUD crews must eliminate any imminent danger to human life. The PUD also prioritizes restoration of power to the hospital and emergency management facilities, as well as restoring power to grocery stores and pharmacies. After these factors are considered, the PUD generally responds to outage incidents where the largest number of customers affected, with repair work often following this order:
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1. Transmission Lines
2. Substations
3. Three phase distribution lines
4. Single phase distribution lines
5. Secondary distribution lines.
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Transmission lines take power to or between substations. Three phase lines deliver power from the substation into the community. Single phase lines carry power into neighbor hoods. Secondary distribution lines lead directly to homes or businesses.
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Recent Meeting Audio, Agendas, Minutes
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February 2 2021 Regular Meeting
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