Exceptional Individuals, Utilities Receive Awards at 2025 NWPPA E&O
(April 24) On April 17, NWPPA celebrated the winners of the Safety Heroism, Excellence in Engineering or Operations, Career Commitment to Safety, and Safety Awards at the 2025 Engineering & Operations Conference in Spokane, Washington.
Electrical Engineer Steve Alexanderson of Central Lincoln PUD (Ore.) received NWPPA’s 2025 Excellence in Engineering or Operations Award. This award, given in honor of Milton Hunt Meguire, is NWPPA’s most prestigious award for a utility employee working in engineering or operations. The 2025 award honors Alexanderson’s contributions to the industry.
Journeyman Meterman Jake Royer of Umatilla Electric Cooperative (Ore.) received NWPPA’s 2025 Safety Heroism Award for the lifesaving actions he took in February 2024 when he provided CPR to a person in need.
Chief Operating Officer Kyle Kearns of Ravalli Electric Cooperative (Mont.) received NWPPA’s 2025 Career Commitment to Safety Award. This award recognizes Kearns’ outstanding commitment and leadership in safety at his utility and beyond.
NWPPA also announced 23 Safety Award winners, with employees accepting the awards on behalf of their utilities. The honors celebrate the commitment of NWPPA member utilities to foster safe workplaces and protect their teams on the job. This year’s winners are Mason County PUD No. 1 (Wash.), Lincoln Electric Cooperative (Mont.), Wasco Electric Cooperative (Ore.), Blachly-Lane Electric Co-op (Ore.), Clatskanie PUD (Ore.), Mt. Wheeler Power (Nev.), Copper Valley Electric Association (Alaska), Salem Electric (Ore.), McMinnville Water & Light (Ore.), Lane Electric Cooperative (Ore.), Columbia River PUD (Ore.), Yampa Valley Electric Association (Colo.), Northern Wasco County PUD (Ore.), Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative (Idaho), Consumers Power Inc. (Ore.), Umatilla Electric Cooperative (Ore.), Idaho Falls Power (Idaho), Jefferson County PUD (Wash.), Modesto Irrigation District (Calif.), City of Roseville Utilities (Calif.), Clark Public Utilities (Wash.), Energy Northwest (Wash.), and Snohomish County PUD (Wash.).
For more information about the award recipients, visit www.nwppa.org/press-room.
Truckee Donner PUD Announces Promotion, Staff Recognitions
(April 22) After nearly 10 years with Truckee Donner PUD (Calif.), TJ Dwyer was recently promoted to water department operations manager. He replaces Earl Smith, who will retire from TDPUD after 20 years of service.
In addition to this promotion, Truckee Donner PUD awarded three Core Value Recognitions to staff in March. This program celebrates TDPUD staff who go above and beyond in a way that exemplifies one of the utility’s six core values. Accounting Specialist Lead Jennifer Mason was recognized for her accountability for persevering through unexpected hurdles. Facilities Maintenance Foreman Matt Wellise was recognized for his timeliness in troubleshooting TDPUD’s fire alarm system after a false alarm was triggered. Finally, the customer service department was recognized for its integrity during challenging customer interactions.
Umatilla Electric Engages Members at 2025 Annual Meeting
(April 23) Umatilla Electric Cooperative (Hermiston, Ore.) hosted its 88th annual meeting April 19 at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center in Hermiston, drawing more than 500 members and guests. The event underscored the co-op’s continued focus on growth, member engagement, and operational improvements.
The program opened with an impactful flag presentation by American Legion Post 37 and the Hermiston High School Band, followed by a video introduction of the Umatilla Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. Board President Bryan Wolfe and General Manager/CEO Robert Echenrode presented key accomplishments from 2024 and priorities moving forward.
During the official business meeting, legal counsel confirmed a quorum and announced that proposed bylaw amendments had passed. Board election results reaffirmed Lee Docken in District 1 (Boardman, Ore.) and Jeff Wenholz in District 2 (Irrigon, Ore.).
The executive team—including Echenrode, Assistant General Manager Josh Lankford, and Vice Presidents Lisa McMeen and Blake Weathers—fielded member questions related to capital projects, regional growth, energy efficiency, and cost drivers. Umatilla Electric Cooperative will post the full Q&A on its website.
To close the evening, members received smart chargers in alignment with this year’s theme, Charging Forward. Prize drawings and entertainment by a local group, Brewers Grade Band, added to the celebratory atmosphere.
Jefferson PUD to Begin Utility Line Undergrounding Project in May
(April 23) Jefferson County PUD (Port Townsend, Wash.) has posted a request for bids to remove the poplar trees in front of the Boat Haven along Sims Way in Port Townsend. Bids from qualified tree crews are due on April 28, with removal work to be completed in May.
Poplar tree removal is the first in a multistep, multi-year project to underground utility lines and expand the Port of Port Townsend boatyard. A collaboration between the City of Port Townsend, port, and PUD, the Sims Gateway and boatyard expansion project is estimated to cost $2.3 million. $1.3 million of the project cost comes from Jefferson County’s public infrastructure fund. The remaining $1 million is being provided by the port, PUD, and city.
According to the plan, PUD contractors will cut down the poplars and dig a trench for buried conduit to relocate transmission lines. The port will manage construction of a sidewalk, installing new trees and landscaping, and ballasting the expansion of the boatyard. As a last step, the PUD will pull new transmission lines through the conduit and remove the old overhead lines and poles.
The project involves only the south, or boatyard, side of Sims Way and does not include removing poplars on the Kah Tai Lagoon side of the road. There are no transmission lines there.
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Snohomish PUD to Host Open House for New Transmission Line
(April 22) Snohomish County PUD (Everett, Wash.) invited community members to attend one of two open houses May 7 at the PUD’s headquarters in Everett, Washington, to learn about the plan for constructing a new transmission line from Everett to Delta.
Open houses will be held 4-5:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. Each will be identical in format and content. Attendees will learn about the chosen route and construction timeline. There will be an opportunity to share suggestions to ease potential construction impacts. Translation services will be available.
The Everett to Delta Line will provide the following benefits to Snohomish PUD customers:
- Support at least one new substation in the Everett area that will serve growth envisioned by the City of Everett’s 2044 comprehensive plan.
- Reduce power outages and shorten restoration time during significant weather events.
- Help Snohomish PUD meet federal planning and reliability standards.
- Deliver more electricity from the south to the north, easing strain on the current system during peak hours.
Construction will begin in spring of 2027 and take approximately six months to complete. Snohomish PUD is considering a variety of options to lower the impact on local business and residents, including working around customers’ business hours, minimizing multiple lane closures and impacts to customers’ driveways, and providing early notice and coordination with directly impacted customers.
“The Everett to Delta line is crucial infrastructure that will strengthen our grid and help ensure that we can continue to provide reliable power to customers in Everett and northern portions of Snohomish County,” said PUD CEO/General Manager John Haarlow. “We know that this type of work can create impacts during construction. We encourage businesses and residents to attend the meeting on May 7 to share concerns and suggestions so that we can help make this project as minimally impactful as possible.”
PCWA Calls on Customers to Conserve Water During Irrigation Season
(April 22) With the 2025 irrigation season underway, the Placer County Water Agency (Auburn, Calif.) is implementing seasonal conservation measures in response to ongoing limited water deliveries from Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Repairs at PG&E’s Lake Spaulding facility have halted flows into the Drum Canal and Bear River, cutting off the normal supply of water into Rollins Reservoir—a primary source for PCWA’s canal system.
PG&E reported critical damage to its Spaulding Powerhouse No. 1 in March 2024 and cut off releases from Spaulding Reservoir during the summer of 2024 while it completed the first phase of repairs. The second phase of repairs is underway. PG&E reported that the repairs are on track and are expected to be completed by early August. Meanwhile, PCWA is using alternative supplies to help meet demand and is asking all customers to continue using water wisely.
“We appreciate our customers’ cooperation in conserving water during these repairs,” said Robert Dugan, PCWA board chairman. “We will continue advocating to ensure Placer County residents receive the reliable water service they deserve.”
While PCWA continues to do everything it can to ease the impacts of the outage, PCWA officials remain concerned about the lack of proper maintenance and reliability of infrastructure not under PCWA’s control.
“Our customers should not bear the burden of ongoing disruptions caused by another utility,” said General Manager Andrew Fecko. “PCWA is not responsible for PG&E’s infrastructure, but we are responsible for how we respond. That means using every resource necessary to keep our customers’ water service reliable.”
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Truckee Donner PUD Modernizes Bill Pay Methods
(April 22) Truckee Donner PUD’s (Calif.) board of directors approved new accounting and management tools for customers at its April meeting.
The TDPUD board approved two new ways for customers to pay their bills. While customers can access their accounts 24/7 online on SmartHub, customers who do not use electronic banking previously only had one solution to pay their bills: to come in person to the TDPUD counter during office hours.
To give these customers more accessibility to pay their bills during and outside of business hours, TDPUD will use InComm, a third-party service that has an existing partnership with TDPUD’s customer management platform. Through this service, customers can pay their bills at the Truckee CVS and 7-Eleven stores. This will improve the service TDPUD can offer unbanked and underbanked customers, as they will be able to pay their bill 24 hours a day.
TDPUD will also install a customer payment kiosk outside of its office building at 11570 Donner Pass Road as another way to expand its customer service offerings. This will give customers 24-hour access to bill payment. TDPUD believes these two new additions will help reduce disconnects for non-payment, late fees, and the staff work hours it takes to process these actions.
Grays Harbor Outage Numbers Rise Due to Wind and Trees
(April 21) A string of storm-related outages, most occurring in November and December, caused Grays Harbor PUD (Aberdeen, Wash.) outage numbers to rise in 2024. After a lower-than-normal 230 outage events in 2023, the number jumped to 390 last year, resulting in 63,528 customer interruptions for a total of 358,998 outage hours.
“Working on the Washington coast, you expect wind- and tree-related outages to occur, but storm season hit Grays Harbor hard in 2024,” said Grays Harbor PUD Engineering Director Tyson Reeves. “The bomb cyclone event in November and a number of widespread storm-related outages in January and December caused PUD outage numbers and customer hours to jump above average totals.”
November 2024 was the busiest month for PUD crews, who responded to 74 outages that month. Because of those storms, downed trees caused an uncharacteristically high number of outages. The PUD responded to 246 tree-related outages in 2024, well above the five-year average and nearly double the 129 that occurred in 2023. The areas most impacted by tree-related outages included North Beach, Central Park, Wishkah Valley, and Lake Quinault.
“This is why we put such an emphasis on tree trimming and vegetation management,” said Grays Harbor PUD General Manager Schuyler Burkhart. “Our engineers and crews have designed and built a strong and capable system, but with so many trees growing along the lines and strong winds coming off the coast, it is imperative that we remove problem trees and cut back other vegetation to reduce the chance of storm-related outages.”
In addition to storm- and wind-caused outages, the types of poles and lines that were damaged impacted the 2024 numbers. Eighteen outages involving transmission lines and poles, which serve larger regions, were among the 25 largest outages of the year.
SMUD Hosts 18th Annual Solar Car Race
(April 18) On April 24, over 200 high school students raced model solar-powered cars they designed and built for SMUD’s (Sacramento, Calif.) 18th annual Solar Car Race at Sacramento State University. Teams used solar panels, motors, and gear sets to build a unique car—using creativity and innovation to try to build the fastest car possible. The event took place 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Pacific Time.
Teams competed for awards in categories that included race time, sustainability, innovation, creativity, and more.
SMUD is committed to helping local educators bring science, technology, engineering, and math concepts to the classroom, especially as SMUD aims to decarbonize the region’s power supply by 2030. SMUD’s annual Solar Car Race gives teachers an opportunity to demonstrate a real-world technology design process and brings students together in a fun, entertaining way. The race has become increasingly popular as STEM education has gained momentum locally and become a larger part of many schools’ curriculums.
The Solar Car Race is just one of several community events and programs SMUD sponsors or organizes to support STEM education. A regional favorite, the California Solar Regatta at Rancho Seco Recreational Area will be held May 2-3.
Fall River Electric Announces Slight Rate Increase
(April 7) Fall River Electric Cooperative (Ashton, Idaho) rates will increase just slightly with billing statements received by members after May 1. The rate increase comes from a modest increase in the monthly demand charge. The increase is needed to better align power demand costs to co-op rates while ensuring greater fairness to all members. It will help recoup infrastructure costs from customers who are driving higher usage. There will be no increase in the kilowatt-hour charge or the monthly access fee.
The reasons for the increase include:
- Higher demand for electricity due to increased energy usage by member homes and businesses.
- New growth in services (more than 700 new connections in 2024) with more people moving into the area.
- Higher wholesale power costs, especially for tier two power purchases, as well as an expected Bonneville Power Administration increase of 8.3% for power and 24% for transmission costs.
- Inflation affecting the cost of materials and maintenance needed to ensure a reliable power grid.
“We have had a long stretch without rate increases—nine years, in fact—before having a slight increase in early 2024,” said Fall River Electric CEO/General Manager Bryan Case. “We have focused on controlling costs and being efficient in delivering services to our members.”
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We Remember: Ken Wilson
Former Midstate Electric Cooperative Director Ken Wilson died April 10, 2025, at 78.
Wilson was born Sept. 27, 1946. He operated several businesses throughout the years and his dedication to public service shone through his involvement in numerous civic organizations. Wilson served as a director at Midstate for 21 years, contributing significantly to the cooperative’s growth and success. His service extended beyond his local community. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1983, achieving the rank of master chief.
We Remember: Mike Andrews Jr.
Alaska Village Electric Cooperative Power Plant Operator Mike Andrews Jr. died April 10, 2025, in Emmonak, Alaska, at age 54.
Andrews was born June 5, 1970. He was a dedicated AVEC power plant operator in Emmonak from October 2015 until his passing.
Andrews was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon, who passed away 11 days before him due to a longstanding illness. He is survived by his children, Micki, Rick, Jon, Archie, Diana, and Durant; and his grandchildren, Brayden, Avery, Dakota, Carlie, Starla, Aubrianna, Wayne, Kaislyn, Pierce, and Patrick Jr.
We Remember: Elias Friday
Alaska Village Electric Cooperative Power Plant Operator Elias Friday of Chevak, Alaska, died March 13, 2025, at 64.
Friday was born Nov. 5, 1960. He worked at AVEC for over a decade. He was a 2021 and 2024 Top Ten Plant Operator who assisted his community and AVEC whenever the need arose. He was a conscientious employee, who was counted on for his reliability. He graduated from the Alaska Vocational Technical Center’s power plant operator training and made it his goal to pass on as much knowledge and work ethic as possible to youth in and around his community. Friday enjoyed moose and seal hunting.
He is survived by his wife, Monica Friday; daughters, Miranda Friday, Dara Friday, Kanisha Friday, Kassie Friday, and Auna-Lena Friday; sons, Elias H J Friday II, Nathaniel Friday, Jade Friday, Lincoln Friday, and Peter Friday; and many grandchildren.
CMUA Welcomes Manager of Energy Policy
(April 21) The California Municipal Utilities Association has welcomed Priscilla Quiroz as its new manager of energy policy. Quiroz will manage the association’s energy regulatory portfolio, advance CMUA’s energy and water/energy policy objectives, and support CMUA members’ interests in regulatory proceedings in front of the California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board, and others.
Quiroz has more than seven years of legislative and policy experience in California, most recently serving as a contract lobbyist at Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange. In that role, she led advocacy efforts for a diverse portfolio of clients—including local governments, nonprofits, associations, and labor groups—on critical issues such as zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, climate resiliency, clean energy, and solid waste policy.
“I’m honored to join CMUA and support the critical work our member agencies do every day,” Quiroz said. “With my background in legislative and regulatory advocacy, I look forward to advancing practical, member-focused energy policies that reflect the needs and values of public power and the communities they serve.”
Quiroz previously worked in the California State Senate and California State Assembly. She served as a legislative aide to Sen. Nancy Skinner, where she advised on environmental and energy policy. Quiroz also held positions in the offices of former Assembly Speakers Anthony Rendon and Toni Atkins, supporting legislative operations and constituent engagement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Priscilla to the CMUA team,” said Derek Dolfie, director of energy for CMUA. “Her extensive experience in California’s legislative landscape and her dedication to clean energy initiatives make her an invaluable addition to our organization.”
Quiroz earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.
The California Municipal Utilities Association represents publicly owned electric utilities, water agencies, and gas and oil services statewide. For more information, visit www.cmua.org.
Moss Adams to Combine With Baker Tilly
(April 21) In a transformative move that redefines advisory and accounting services for the middle market, Baker Tilly and Moss Adams announced their planned combination to create the sixth-largest advisory certified public accountant firm in the U.S. Expected to close in early June of this year, the combination strengthens the firms’ industry specialization; expands their geographic reach; and enhances their capabilities across advisory, tax, and assurance services.
With complementary strengths and a shared commitment to client success, Baker Tilly and Moss Adams will unite under the Baker Tilly name, forming a leading firm positioned to help middle-market businesses navigate an increasingly complex environment. Jeff Ferro, CEO of Baker Tilly, will serve as CEO of the combined firm through his retirement. Eric Miles, current Moss Adams CEO, has been named CEO-elect. Miles will assume the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2026, with Ferro remaining a director on Baker Tilly’s board.
As part of this transaction, private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, an existing investor in Baker Tilly, will make a meaningful additional strategic investment in the business, with existing shareholder Valeas Capital Partners also increasing its investment. Following the deal close, Moss Adams and Baker Tilly’s audit business will combine as Baker Tilly US, LLP. The firms’ business advisory, tax, and other services will combine under Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP. Both entities will remain partnerships, with all principals holding equity alongside Hellman & Friedman and Valeas in Baker Tilly Advisory Group.
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Moss Adams is a fully integrated professional services firm dedicated to assisting clients with growing, managing, and protecting prosperity. For more information, visit www.mossadams.com.
Fitch Provides Ratings for Energy Northwest, BPA, and Snohomish PUD
(April 21) This month, Fitch Ratings assessed Energy Northwest, the Bonneville Power Administration, and Snohomish PUD (Everett, Wash.).
Fitch assigned an ‘AA’ rating to certain bonds issued by Energy Northwest and secured by payments from BPA, upgraded BPA’s long-term issuer default rating to ‘AA’ from ‘AA-’ and affirmed BPA affirmed Snohomish PUD’s (Everett, Wash.) issuer default rating and certain bond ratings at ‘AA-.’
Fitch assigned an ‘AA’ rating to the following bonds issued by Energy Northwest and secured by payments from BPA: $254.9 million project 1 revenue bonds, series 2025A; $456.9 million Columbia Generating Station revenue bonds, series 2025A; $109 million Columbia Generating Station revenue bonds, series 2025B; and $170.7 million project 3 revenue bonds, series 2025A.
Fitch upgraded BPA’s long-term issuer default rating to ‘AA’ from ‘AA-’ based on a review of the rating under Fitch’s government-related entities criteria. The criteria recognize support and linkages between BPA and the U.S. government, which has an ‘AA+’ rating and is Stable. Fitch also assessed BPA’s standalone credit profile at ‘aa-‘, representing Fitch’s view of BPA’s standalone creditworthiness without extraordinary support from the U.S. government. Fitch also affirmed the ‘AA’ debt ratings on certain non-federal debt and secured on parity through payments from BPA. The rating analysis for Energy Northwest and BPA is continued here.
Snohomish PUD bonds affirmed at ‘AA-’ are $339.1 million electric system revenue bonds series 2010A, 2015, 2020A, and 2021A; $51.6 million generation system revenue bonds series 2010B and 2015. The rating outlook has been revised to Positive from Stable. The rating analysis for Snohomish PUD is continued here.
Fitch Ratings is a leading provider of credit ratings, commentary, and research for global capital markets. For more information, visit www.fitchratings.com.
BPA Energizes New Substation in Umatilla Electric Service Territory
(April 17) The Bonneville Power Administration has energized a new high-voltage substation in north-central Oregon to meet increasing demands for electricity and support the interconnection of new generating resources in the Pacific Northwest.
“This new substation illustrates how Bonneville is leading a new era for energy infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest,” said BPA Administrator and CEO John Hairston. “Completing this multi-purpose facility prepares BPA to enhance the safe, reliable delivery of more abundant, low-cost electricity to our customers, communities, businesses, and industries across the region.”
BPA executives joined executives and staff from Umatilla Electric Cooperative (Hermiston, Ore.), elected officials, and other electric industry officials to mark the first phase of the substation’s operation. In addition to local benefits, Longhorn will enable approximately 2,500 megawatts of new generator interconnections.
The construction of Longhorn is a precursor to BPA’s large-scale grid expansion plans. To date, BPA has proposed constructing 23 transmission infrastructure projects worth approximately $5 billion to meet future regional energy needs.
“BPA’s new substation showcases how together, we can meet the challenges ahead in fortifying the grid and delivering reliable, secure and affordable energy to the American people,” said Nick Elliot, director of the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office.
“The Longhorn Substation is a critical investment in our energy future, made possible by the strong UEC-BPA partnership,” said Robert Echenrode, general manager and CEO of Umatilla Electric Cooperative. “It strengthens local infrastructure, enhances regional connectivity, and supports economic growth by attracting industry, creating jobs, and reinforcing the Northwest grid.”
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The Bonneville Power Administration is a nonprofit federal power marketer that sells wholesale electricity in western states. For more information, visit www.bpa.gov.
POWER Engineers Announces First U.S. ADMS Training Program
(April 17) Three universities are joining forces to tackle a critical engineering skills gap in the U.S. Their collaboration will address the efficiency, reliability, and resilience of electrical grid operations and safeguard stable electrical service for consumers.
The collaboration among POWER Engineers; POWER Foundation; University of ldaho; Cleveland State University; and Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad will develop a new professional certificate course focused on advanced distribution management systems (ADMS).
The only program of its kind in the country, the course is funded through a $500,000 grant from POWER Foundation, delivered over multiple years through September 2028. ADMS is a software platform that enables utilities to analyze and manage power distribution networks. As energy delivery becomes more complex, ADMS can help utilities manage increasing energy demands, integrate renewable energy sources into the grid, maintain grid stability and resiliency, ensure regulation and compliance, and secure customer satisfaction and safety.
Most American companies either train employees on the job or contract ADMS skills and services from outside the U.S., which will be unsustainable as the grid modernizes and ADMS use increases.
“ADMS skills will play a pivotal role in our electrical grid and the wider engineering community—including engineering professionals and higher education—must prepare,” said Brian Johnson, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories endowed chair in power engineering and University of Idaho distinguished professor. “We look forward to expanding the partnership as we learn more about the needs of companies, ADMS professionals and our students.”
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POWER Engineers, a member of WSP, is an engineering and environmental consulting firm helping clients across multiple sectors navigate the energy transition. For more information, visit www.powereng.com.