PUD expects $5 million gain from switch to Canadian power trader

By Christine Pratt
Wenatchee World

WENATCHEE — Would you like a little maple syrup to go with that sale of Chelan County PUD electricity?

The PUD in June will begin selling power through a trading company owned by the Canadian government for an expected annual gain of about $5 million.

PUD General Manager John Janney announced to commissioners Monday that starting June 1, the PUD is contracting with Powerex, a subsidiary of the British Columbia-owned utility BC Hydro, which operates Canada’s big Columbia River dams and reservoirs. Powerex does all the trading.

According to the five-year deal, Powerex will pay for access to the PUD’s daily trading system and will help balance hourly changes in generation needed to cover the planned demand of Chelan County residents, Gregg Carrington, the PUD’s managing director of energy resources said Wednesday. Read more