From a press release - Chelan County PUD commissioners Monday unanimously approved purchase of a 1-acre parcel in Wenatchee’s Olds Station industrial area for a new substation that is close to the load center and saves the District on development costs.

 

Commissioners directed staff to finalize the purchase with Stemilt Growers, which agreed to provide the site for a substation in exchange for future capacity of up to 5 megawatts from the planned 28-megawatt facility. The fruit growing and packing operation will continue to pay for the power it uses per District rates.

 

The family-owned fruit business is expanding operations in Olds Station and had level land available that’s well located for a new substation near the area’s growing load center.

 

The new substation, tentatively named “Ohme,” will replace the Olds Station Substation, built in 1979. That station is at 90-percent capacity with aging equipment and not enough room to increase capacity at the location next to the Chelan highway near Keyes Fibre, said Chad Rissman, Distribution director.

 

In an earlier presentation, Rissman said the agreement with Stemilt grew out of a, “fortunate case of good planning by the PUD,” coming together with the opportunity offered by Stemilt.

 

Once the agreement is done, next steps are to apply for permits this fall, finish design and build the new substation in 2018-19.

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