HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter re: Mason County PUD No. 1's FY EDA 2025 Disaster Supplemental - Jorstad Substation - 072125 0 Co ssf. Board of County Commissioners
�4w$ o 2� 1820 Jefferson Street
m w PO Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
is
�� Leather Dudley-Nollette,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
. fir NO'\
July 21,2025
U.S. Department of Commerce
EDA 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program
1401 Constitution Avenue,NW, Suite 71014
Washington,DC 20230
Re: Mason County PUD No. I's FY EDA 2025 Disaster Supplemental-Jorstad Substation
Dear Selection Committee,
The Board of Commissioners for Jefferson County, Washington,would like to express our support for Mason
County PUD No. I's application to fund their Jorstad Substation Project,for the construction of a middle-mile
substation at Jorstad Creek in Lilliwaup, Washington. Mason PUD 1 serves customers in both Mason County
and our rural community of Brinnon in south Jefferson County.
This project is important for South Jefferson County residents on the Hood Canal because this area experiences
frequent and long-lasting power outages due to the terrain of U.S. Highway 101 and the Olympic National
Forest that winds along the shoreline of Hood Canal. These areas are vulnerable to natural hazards like
landslides,wind and snow events,and most commonly,fallen trees from the rainforest canopy.
Currently,there is a 35-mile stretch of power lines that run along Hwy 101 from Hoodsport to Mt. Walker in
Brinnon. When one section goes out of power,the entire stretch goes out.During two large storm events in
2022,these customers were out of power for over three days the first time and over two days the second time
because there is no redundant power supply. With a middle-mile substation,most of these customers could have
been back in service in less than 24 hours.
Additionally,the PUD's Hoodsport Substation and the Jefferson County Substation are old(1960's)and both
must be taken completely offline for the PUD to perform their maintenance.This middle-mile substation would
improve the resilience of the local power grid and enable the PUD to keep most customers in power under most
circumstances,thanks to a redundant power feed. It also will allow the PUD to be more efficient and proactive
in the necessary maintenance that these other older substations need.
Every customer on the PUD 1 system will benefit from this funding by alleviating the pressure on electric rates.
With only 5,600 electric meters,Mason PUD 1 experiences the same challenges larger utilities have with
infrastructure but with far fewer customers to spread the costs amongst. This funding would go a long way
toward making the Jorstad Substation a near-term reality without impacting individual house' 'Id budgets. We
hope you will agree and select Mason PUD 1's Jorstad Substation Project for funding.
Sincerely
// ) 1
AP'zeollOpilk
4Likilk IN II,
_*ilk
. Du,1 y-Nollette, Dist. 1 He � Isenhour, Dist. 2-Chair iltr Br."1�.,=,,,.if Dist.
Phone(360)385-9100 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us