Chugach Electric Pursues Hydroelectric Projects
(Feb. 10) As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce the dependency on natural gas and achieve board-directed decarbonization goals, Chugach Electric Association (Anchorage, Alaska) is moving forward on the investigation of potential hydroelectric sites around Southcentral Alaska.
Chugach has filed preliminary permit applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and water right applications with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to study the feasibility of four projects:
- Canyon Creek (run of river; expected capacity 6 MW)
- Godwin Creek (storage; expected capacity 16 MW)
- Boulder Creek (storage; expected capacity 12 MW)
- Caribou Creek (storage; expected capacity 18 MW)
The preliminary steps do not authorize construction or any land-disturbing activities but give the Chugach sites priority, enabling the utility to perform engineering due diligence while reaching out to groups that are potentially impacted by the development of the sites.
Chugach’s initial hydro site investigation began over two years ago with a survey of 158 potential locations. To select a handful of sites for more detailed investigation, Chugach developed an initial list of site selection criteria, highlighted by the exclusion of any projects with dams or diversions on anadromous reaches.
Before filing the preliminary permit applications and water right applications, Chugach spent the past six months meeting with various regulatory agencies, tribes, landowners, and nongovernmental organizations, discussing the guiding principles and soliciting input on the site selection criteria for potential future hydroelectric projects. Chugach revised the site selection criteria and selected the sites based on stakeholder input. Having narrowed the focus to certain projects, Chugach can now identify all affected groups and fully develop its outreach program for a robust conversation with Alaskans.
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Umatilla Electric Cooperative Earns Record-High Customer Satisfaction Score
(Feb. 10) Umatilla Electric Cooperative (Hermiston, Ore.), a Touchstone Energy partner, has earned a record-high score of 91 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index survey for the fourth quarter of 2025, marking the highest score in the cooperative’s history. ACSI is a national industry measure of customer satisfaction.
The ACSI survey has long been a benefit of Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s Touchstone Energy membership, providing valuable insight into member experience and service performance. Umatilla Electric Cooperative has participated in the survey since 2008, using member feedback to continuously improve member services and operations.
“Receiving a 91 is a significant milestone for UEC, marking the first time since we began surveying our membership in 2008 that we have earned a satisfaction score above 90, and the highest score we’ve received to date,” said Weston Putman, the cooperative’s manager of public relations. “However, this score represents far more than a number. It shows the collective effort of the entire UEC team and our continued commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our membership.”
Over the last three years, Umatilla Electric Cooperative has received a Customer Satisfaction Award, which recognized its consistent performance and organization-wide dedication to service excellence. These results are the product of collaboration across all departments, with employees focused on reliability, communication, and community connection.
The cooperative continues to focus on continuous improvement through reliable service, trusted partnerships, and innovative solutions designed to meet the changing needs of its members and communities.
LCPUD Closes 2025 With Record Achievements and Clean Accountability Audit
(Feb. 6) Lewis County PUD (Chehalis, Wash.) General Manager David Plotz recently shared several milestones and achievements that reflect the PUD’s commitment to excellence, safety, and responsible management of the utility.
LCPUD earned a clean accountability audit from the Washington State Auditor’s Office with no findings, a testament to the team’s commitment to being responsible stewards of public funds. The PUD strengthened its financial position through prudent fiscal management, delivered advanced metering infrastructure savings of over $1 million per year, and utilized grants and customer-funded development to keep rate pressure down.
Safety remains a top priority for the utility, and in 2025, it achieved the lowest injury recordable incident rate in LCPUD’s recorded history.
“Electric utility work is high risk by any measure, and this milestone could not have been reached without the professionalism of all our employees,” Plotz said. “We believe in continuous safety improvement in all forms, and we live it each day by holding each other to high professional standards.”
The value delivered to ratepayers in 2025 was substantial—LCPUD’s broadband department constructed 445 miles of grant-funded fiber in Lewis County. It connected 794 residential and commercial customers to gigabit symmetrical internet service. Boistfort is lit with LCPUD fiber. More connectivity projects are underway around the county, bringing home over $50 million in state and federal grants. In August 2025, the PUD was provisionally awarded an additional $35.5 million in Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program funding.
PCWA Board Reviews Ophir Water Treatment Plant Program
(Feb. 5) On Feb. 5, the Placer County Water Agency (Auburn, Calif.) Board of Directors received updates on the Ophir Water Treatment Plant program, current system capacity, and regional development activity in West Placer County. The report highlighted how long-term water planning supports reliability for existing customers while preparing for future needs within adopted conservation and land-use frameworks.
During a workshop presentation, the board reviewed the Ophir Water Treatment Plant program, a long-planned infrastructure investment needed to provide additional treated water capacity as existing facilities approach their limits to meet peak demand periods.
PCWA staff explained that the Foothill Water Treatment Plant, the agency’s largest facility, operates near capacity during high-demand summer months, limiting flexibility for maintenance, upgrades, or unexpected outages. Bringing Ophir online will relieve those constraints by adding a new treated water source and creating system redundancy.
The first phase of the Ophir Water Treatment Plant will provide 10 million gallons per day of new treated water capacity and is designed as part of a phased approach that allows PCWA to scale infrastructure over time. While Ophir is needed to serve future customers, staff emphasized that the project also delivers important customer benefits by improving operational flexibility and overall system resilience.
Completion of the Ophir Water Treatment Plant will increase the annual construction window by approximately two months to perform essential maintenance and upgrades at the Foothill Water Treatment Plant during lower demand times of the year.
“This is a long-term investment that’s been planned for decades,” said PCWA General Manager Andy Fecko. “The project is structured so growth pays for growth, with water connection charges funding the capacity needed for new customers. An added benefit is that it also improves reliability and resilience for the customers we already serve.”
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EWEB Board Adopts 2026 Organizational Goals to Guide Utility Priorities
(Jan. 27) At its January public meeting, the Eugene Water & Electric Board (Ore.) adopted new organizational goals for 2026, providing direction for the utility’s work priorities in the year ahead. The goals, adopted by EWEB’s five-member elected board of commissioners, reflect EWEB’s ongoing commitment to reliable utility services, thoughtful energy planning, and strong support for the community, while recognizing a complex and changing environment.
“From regulatory and economic pressures, to changing customer expectations, the water and electric utility industries are in a time of massive transformation,” said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. “We need to anticipate and adapt to this volatile landscape while staying focused on core operational performance so that we can continue to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable services no matter the conditions.”
The 2026 goals align EWEB’s long-term strategic plan with its annual work plans and performance measures to support transparency, accountability, and consistent progress.
Key focus areas for 2026 include:
- Strengthening core services and strategy: EWEB will continue refining how it plans, prioritizes, and tracks work. This includes using performance metrics and quarterly reporting to ensure strong operational performance, informed decision-making, and transparent accountability to the community.
- Enhancing support for customers: EWEB will improve the design and delivery of limited-income support programs. This work includes bill assistance, customer engagement, and energy efficiency offerings to help ensure electricity and water services remain affordable and accessible.
- Preparedness, reliability, and communication: EWEB is focused on strengthening how it prepares for and responds to service disruptions. Improvements to tools, systems, and customer communications will support clearer, more timely information during outages and emergencies.
- Data, asset management, and technology: Technology investments will strengthen how EWEB manages information, maintains core infrastructure, and uses data to guide decisions.
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National Metering/NW Technical Training Becomes Three Companies Following Diana Hamilton’s Retirement
(Feb. 12) National Metering/NW Technical Training Manager Diana Hamilton retired last week after 46 years working in the electric utility industry.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your trust, partnership, and support throughout my career as owner of National Metering & Technical Services, LLC,” Hamilton shared in an email to customers. “Working with you and your crews has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my professional journey, and I am deeply grateful for the relationships that have been built over the last many years.”
With Hamilton retiring, National Metering/NW Technical Training was split into three different companies to maintain a high standard of service.
National Metering & Technical Services was acquired by General Pacific and will continue to operate as usual for metering. Current management and administrative staff will stay on board. The primary contact is Operations Manager Autumn Potter, who can be reached at (509) 679-7884 or autumn@natlmeter.com. The company’s website is www.natlmeter.com.
NW Technical Training will be the same, except for a new email address and website. The company will continue to provide the three-year Meterman Apprenticeship Training program and advanced metering classes. For details, contact (509) 670-1590 or info@nwtt.net. The company’s website is www.nwtechnicaltraining.com.
SAF Metering is a new company that will take over the yearly certification of the accuracy testing portion of WECO boards, PowerMasters, Probewells, and any equipment with a radian standard. Summer Fitzpatrick, the person who previously provided the service, continues to be the point of contact. She can be reached at (360) 470-1839 or safmetering@gmail.com.
NAWPC Technical Bulletin Exposes Shortcomings of Undergrounding as a Grid Hardening Strategy
(Feb. 11) Moving electrical lines from poles to underground may seem like a good way to limit power outages. However, as detailed in a new technical bulletin from the North American Wood Pole Council, numerous recent studies question whether it is that simple. Public outcry over extended power outages and damage from wildfires and severe weather events is prompting legislatures and utility regulators to enact new measures requiring utilities to further harden electricity systems. Often, the proposed regulations call for the mandatory conversion of overhead systems to underground, despite dozens of recent studies all reaching the same conclusions:
- Undergrounding creates new vulnerabilities and safety issues.
- The costs far outweigh the benefits.
- Less expensive alternatives can be equally effective.
The new technical bulletin, “Burying the Grid: Heavy costs, limited benefits,” draws on those studies to make the case for more reasonable approaches that are affordable for ratepayers and can be implemented more quickly without creating new vulnerabilities. The publication cites multiple studies detailing the exorbitant costs of undergrounding and describes vulnerabilities, safety issues, and shortcomings associated with buried transmission and distribution lines. It proposes several less drastic, proven alternatives that, combined, can provide nearly equivalent grid hardening results.
“On its face, undergrounding sounds appealing. But in fact, it is extremely expensive, would take several decades to complete, and it won’t solve the problem,” said Butch Bernhardt, administrative vice president for NAWPC. “By exploring scientific information and real-world experience, we hope this new publication will help bring more rational thought to the discussion.”
The North American Wood Pole Council is a federation comprising three organizations representing the North American wood-preserving industry. For more information, visit www.woodpoles.org.
Tantalus Completes $23M Bought Deal Financing
(Feb. 9) Tantalus announced it has closed a bought deal public offering by issuing an aggregate of 4,299,275 common shares from the treasury of the company at a price of 5.35 Canadian dollars per common share for total gross proceeds of approximately CA$23 million pursuant to the terms of an underwriting agreement dated Feb. 4 between the company and the underwriters. ATB Cormark Capital Markets acted as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters, which also included TD Securities, Beacon Securities Limited, Canaccord Genuity, Paradigm Capital, Raymond James, and Haywood Securities. The aggregate common shares issued and the total gross proceeds of the offering include the full exercise by the underwriters of an overallotment option to purchase up to an additional 560,775 common shares for additional gross proceeds from the exercise of the option of approximately CA$3 million.
Tantalus intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for sales and marketing, strategic growth initiatives, partial repayment of the company’s term loan, capital expenditures, research and development, and working capital and general corporate expenses.
“Tantalus would like to thank all of our investors and the members of our banking syndicate for further strengthening our balance sheet as we continue to invest in the company’s growth,” said Peter Londa, president and CEO of Tantalus. “We are focused on executing on our vision of delivering Unified Intelligence to utilities to accelerate their distribution grid modernization efforts. As a result of this offering, we believe Tantalus is in a stronger position than ever to deliver highly innovative and differentiated solutions to market and to continue to scale our business.”
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Tantalus Systems is a smart grid technology company focused on helping build sustainable utilities. For more information, visit www.tantalus.com.
Utility Pole Field Test Confirms Effectiveness of Ground-Line Barrier Sleeves
(Feb. 5) The latest 10-year data from ongoing full-scale pole trials at two U.K. field test sites confirms the ability of dual-layer barrier sleeves to prevent ground-line decay.
The independent report, produced by the Buildings Research Establishment, evaluated the relative performance of ACQ preservative-treated utility poles installed with and without dual-layer composite ground-line barrier sleeves (Polesaver Rot-Guards) by measuring pole moisture content and decay.
The trials were designed to reflect typical U.K. installation environments:
- Peterborough: Poles installed in tarmac to represent built-up urban environments.
- Penistone: Poles installed in an open field environment with wet ground conditions, with grass and tree shading limiting drying.
After a decade of exposure, ground-line decay was identified in an unsleeved pole at both test sites, demonstrating that decay conditions existed. In contrast, all sleeved poles remained sound and free of decay.
On average across both sites, poles fitted with barrier sleeves recorded moisture content levels 20% lower than unsleeved poles, confirming the effectiveness of barrier sleeves in reducing moisture ingress at the ground line and lowering the risk of decay.
All standard preservative-treated poles exhibited visible wetting and algae growth at the ground-line section, while poles fitted with barrier sleeves remained visibly dry and free from algae above the sleeved zone.
The findings reinforce a long-recognized principle in pole durability: controlling moisture and isolating wood from the causes of decay are critical to extending service life. While preservative treatments provide a strong baseline level of protection, the data shows that adding a composite barrier sleeve effectively isolates the wood from decay-causing conditions, maximizing pole longevity and protecting utility assets.
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Polesaver is a global leader in utility pole protection solutions designed to maximize the lifespan, safety, and reliability of wooden utility infrastructure. For more information, visit www.polesaver.com.
Siemens Virtualized Protection for Power Grids Cuts Costs, Saves Space in Digital Substations
(Feb. 3) Siemens Smart Infrastructure has introduced Siprotec V, the virtualized version of the proven Siprotec 5 protection and control device. The innovative solution is designed for digital substations and enables simple, scalable, and secure power grids with up to six months faster project execution.
As global electrification progresses and energy demand rises, existing grid infrastructure faces unprecedented pressure. Energy providers expect to double their grid capacity in the next decade while modernizing aging infrastructure. To meet these challenges, technological innovations, automation, and standardization are essential. Siprotec V addresses these demands: accelerating digital transformation while ensuring resilience and future-proofing of the power grid.
Siprotec V breaks traditional dependencies between protection and control software and embedded devices. With its software-defined approach, Siprotec V enables protection and control applications to scale virtually within a substation—supporting the centralization of up to 60 virtual intelligent electronic devices. This flexibility allows utilities to efficiently adapt protection architectures to evolving network demands while optimizing valuable space savings of approximately 45%.
Due to virtualization, Siprotec V makes it possible to fully test substation setups digitally before they are commissioned. This simplifies the installation process, speeds testing, and minimizes errors. Siprotec V’s modular software architecture allows rapid adaptation to evolving system requirements, unconstrained by the limitations of hardware. This facilitates seamless deployment of software updates, patches, and functional enhancements.
Virtualization reduces the need for numerous panels, expensive copper cables, and costly physical installations, including cable trenches. This slashes carbon emissions by up to 50% per substation, supporting a more sustainable energy industry. Additionally, virtualization delivers cost savings of up to 25% by reducing installed protection and control devices.
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Siemens is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and health care. For more information, visit www.siemens.com.