PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Public Utility District leaders and advocates for local electric service were surprised but undeterred by Puget Sound Energy’s $77.2 million price tag to assume its assets and operations.
“You can make numbers do anything you want to do,” said Steve Hamm, spokesman for Citizens for Local Power.
The group gathered enough voter signatures on a petition to call for a question on the Nov. 4 general election ballot asking East Jefferson County voters if Jefferson PUD should have the authority to provide election service.
The PUD now provides water and sewer service only, while PSE offers electrical power.
“I think it comes down to negotiating this thing,” Hamm said.
“What we want to do is keep our options open. If we get through the vote in November, our options are open.
“Otherwise, all bets are off.”
PSE, which has served East Jefferson County since 1889, presented a feasibility study on Tuesday, which was conducted by an independent consultant in the industry, UtiliPoint International Inc.
The study concludes that the cost of PUD power service would lead to rates skyrocketing by 19 percent or more.
