PORT HADLOCK — Jefferson County Public Utility District commissioners and staff are confidentially negotiating the acquisition of Puget Sound Energy’s electric-service facilities to provide power to East County residents, but will step up community informational outreach in the coming months.
The PUD commissioners, staff and their Portland, Ore.-based attorney, Kirk Gibson — who was hired to legally guide them through the electric-service acquisition process — fine-tuned a presentation Wednesday at the PUD offices that the agency will show to groups and organizations in the coming months.
After the Nov. 4 general election votes were tallied, Proposition 1 passed by 10,027, or 53.27 percent, granting the PUD the authority to provide electrical power.
PUD now serves more than 3,200 water customers in East Jefferson County but has never provided power service.
‘Community letter’
“What we’re in the throes of doing is in a confidentiality agreement,” Gibson said Wednesday, adding that the PUD commissioners were expected to publish a “community letter” explaining what it can without breaching the agreement with PSE executives.
“We’ve had numerous meetings, and I’ve got to say that I’m pleased with the progress,” Gibson said. PSE is sharing information “and they’re being open with it, but keeping it under that confidentiality, but they are letting us see it.”
“. . . We are pleased to report that the parties are exchanging information and having substantive discussions about the possible sale,” said the letter that the commissioners approved Wednesday night and will publish in the coming week.
“Rest assured that we are actively involved in taking the necessary and prudent steps to make an affordable, community-based electric utility a reality for Jefferson County.”
PUD Commissioner Wayne King of Gardiner and PUD General Manager Jim Parker have been meeting since January with PSE executives, and plan another meeting later this month.
Parker is developing an operational plan for PUD electric-service delivery.
“There will be numerous options and alternatives,” Parker said.
Under state law, the PUD has 10 years to exercise its authority or go to another vote.
Hittle estimates a cost of PSE’s facilities ranging from $35 million to $70 million, while PSE representatives have quoted a figure as high as $100 million or more.
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
