Grays Harbor PUD Completes Electrical System Improvements

Aberdeen, WA- Grays Harbor PUD has completed system improvements that will greatly enhance reliability of electrical service to Aberdeen businesses located in the area from Morrison Riverfront Park to the Wishkah Bridge, as well as Aberdeen High School and Grays Harbor Community Hospital’s East Campus. The projects were the result of an analysis of the impacts of the destructive December 2007 storm. “The December 2007 storm highlighted the need for improvements that would allow us to restore power more quickly to businesses and facilities in Aberdeen that provide critical services,” said Rick Lovely, General Manager of Grays Harbor PUD. “The improvements made to the system will significantly reduce the impact of outages affecting East Aberdeen businesses, Aberdeen High School, and the East Campus of Grays Harbor Community Hospital.”

Grays Harbor PUD completed work earlier this month on a $225,000 project to improve reliability to the businesses located in Aberdeen primarily East of the Wishkah River. The project included installation of new infrastructure and equipment, including a new cable under the Wishkah River, that will allow service to the area to be switched to an alternate substation on an emergency basis should an outage occur, greatly reducing the length of any outage. After additional system improvements are made, this transfer will be permanent. Grays Harbor PUD also completed a $145,000 project earlier this year that switched electrical service to Aberdeen High School, the East Campus of Grays Harbor Community Hospital and surrounding area to the PUD’s main substation, providing for greater reliability. “These areas have been served by power lines that run cross country through areas more susceptible to outages due to downed trees or branches during storms,” said Lovely. “The two projects, along with our continued tree trimming program will go a long way toward improving service reliability in these areas.”

 

The projects are part of the District’s capital improvement program and are funded by dedicated funds from the sale of low interest bonds.