Chelan PUD Rerouting Transmission Lines Around Peshastin Pinnacles State Park

Chelan PUD will rerouting two transmission lines around Peshastin Pinnacles State Park with work beginning in May.

Transmission Engineering Manager Steve Wickel says they are looking to avoid sandstone formations thought to be 46 million years old.

"The basis for our decision to reroute was largely due to the risk of damage to the rock formations. This would have big impacts to key stakeholders should damage occur. Of course, the Colville Confederated Tribes, the state parks and the public who use the park."

The rocks are significant sites in Native American culture with various depictions of animals carved into them.

Wickel says they considered many options with rerouting the best due to potential damage and living up to PUD core values of stewardship.

"Rerouting around the state park also allows for better access to the transmission structures in the future. Potential litigation costs were included in our analysis. And we did perform a cost-effective analysis comparing the options and risks and through that analysis it was determined that reroute was the most cost-effective and preferred solution."

The park will be closed during the work which will begin May 1st until it's completed which is hoped to be sometime in November though it could extend into 2021.