HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter of Support re: Mason County PUD No 1 Appropriations rifs
o oN s Board of County Commissioners
°Uo� 1820 Jefferson Street
PO Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
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S.KI C{c°� Kate Dean,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
March 18, 2024
The Honorable Maria Cantwell
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Re:Support for Mason County PUD No. 1's Appropriations Request for FY25
Dear Senator Cantwell,
The Board of Commissioners for Jefferson County, Washington, has heard existential concern from many of
our most vulnerable Jefferson County residents during the prolonged power outage in Brinnon and
surrounding areas during the winter of 2022, many senior and aging in place without the external supports
of urban environments. Jefferson County sees Mason County PUD 1's Grid Resiliency Project as critical
infrastructure in one our most marginalized communities of East Jefferson County.
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.
We would like to express our support for Mason County PUD No. 1's appropriations request to fund their
Grid Resiliency Project, which includes the design and engineering of a middle-mile substation at Jorstad
Creek in Lilliwaup,Washington as well as a redundant transmission line to loop feed the PUD's two
substations on the southern end of their electric service territory.
This Grid Resiliency 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, as well for Mason County residents
on State Route 106.These areas are vulnerable to natural hazards like landslides,wind and snow events,
and most commonly,fallen trees from the rainforest canopy.
The construction of a redundant transmission line will loop feed the two southern substations that feed the
Skokomish Indian Reservation and rural activity center of Union, which are the two main business corridors
in PUD 1's service territory. Every customer on the PUD 1 system will benefit from this increased resiliency
of PUD 1's electric grid. Every customer will also benefit from this funding by alleviating the pressure on
electric rates. With only 5,500 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 household
budgets while also helping to keep the Skokomish Tribe's business enterprises and Union businesses in
power during storm events.
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@cojefferson.wa.us
We hope you will agree and select Mason PUD l's Grid Resiliency Project to move forward for appropriations.
Sincerely,
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Kate Dean, Chair, Dist. No. 1 Heidi Eisenhour, Dist. No. 2 Greg Brothe , . No. 3