Powering Pend Oreille County for Nearly 100 Years
Formed in 1936 under Washington’s Title 54, Pend Oreille PUD is a community-owned, nonprofit utility providing safe and reliable electric, water and broadband services to Pend Oreille County. All utility costs are recovered through customer rates and grant funding. The PUD is governed by three locally elected commissioners and led by a General Manager who oversees nearly 90 employees in Newport, Ione and at Box Canyon Dam.
The PUD operates four primary systems: the Production System, Electric System, Community Network System and nine community Water Systems, each separately financed and managed.
Hydropower and Production
The Production System generates clean, carbon-free hydropower from Box Canyon Dam, built in 1950, with all output sold at cost to the Electric System. A regulatory and natural resources team manages all environmental, water quality and mitigation responsibilities at the dam. The PUD also owns the Sullivan Creek Dam, Calispell Powerhouse, Power Lake Dam, Calispell Pumping Station and related water-management structures.
Power Supply
The PUD manages a diverse power portfolio in real time and into the future. In addition to Box Canyon generation, the PUD purchases low-cost power through a long-term agreement with Seattle City Light’s Boundary Dam and uses market purchases and sales to balance customer needs.
Electric, Broadband and Water Services
The PUD’s Electric System serves nearly 10,000 customers, primarily residential, with additional commercial and industrial users. With a single-phase residential rate of $0.0660 per kilowatt-hour, the PUD remains among the most affordable electric utilities in the country.
The Community Network System provides wholesale broadband to nearly 3,000 fiber end-users and wireless users, while the Water System includes nine systems serving more than 600 customers
Customer Programs and Community Engagement
The PUD offers energy-efficiency rebates for a variety of appliances and operates the Neighbors-in-Need Program, which provides emergency energy assistance funded by the PUD and community donations. The PUD is active in local and industry organizations, including economic development groups, chambers of commerce and the Washington Public Utility Districts Association. Employees regularly volunteer in the community, and the PUD offers student internships, fundraising opportunities and educational programs.