How Things WORK - Snohomish County PUD
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snopud.com
Your Community Energy Partner Spring 2018
How
Things
WORK
INSIDE: Anatomy of a Substation | Watt’s the Cost | Loads of Line | How We Roll
What Happens When a Power Outage is Reported | Proactive Tree Trimming
What’s that Loud Bang? | Sensational Savings | A Safe & Quality Water Supply
2 Current ★ Spring 2018 How Things Work How Things Work Current ★ Spring 2018 3
Meet the Commissioners Energy Talk Contents
President Kathleen Vaughn, who represents District 2, ap- growth and economic development.”
PAGE 4 & 5
plauds the great job that PUD customers have done in con- As an Arlington resident, Logan has seen recent system im-
serving energy in homes and
businesses.
provements that have benefitted his community.
“Tree trimming around power lines and system upgrades,
From the Source
“The cheapest electron is including the new Eagle Creek Substation, aim to improve reli- »» Anatomy of a Substation
the one that we never have ability in north Snohomish County,” he says. Easy Way to Help the Environment »» Watt’s the Cost
to generate,” Commissioner The PUD’s online outage map, he notes, now has a report- PUD customers can now enroll in the PUD’s new Carbon Solutions pro- »» Loads of Line
Vaughn says. “Conservation ing form to make it easier for customers to quickly alert the gram, which supports wind and solar energy projects in Washington, Idaho
saves the utility money, and it utility to outages. While substation automation gives the PUD and other western states. It’s another PAGE 6 & 7
saves customers money.” better data about outages, customers’ reports are still needed to
way for you to support regional renew-
She points to a range of
PUD programs that help
residents and businesses save,
help pinpoint outages.
Logan is passionate about making sure that employees and
the public understand that the PUD is publicly owned and it
able energy development. Customers
can participate for as little as $4.50 CARB N Ensuring
Reliability
including discounts on LED
lights, rebates for weatherization and heat pumps, and incen-
needs to be responsive to those we serve.
per month. For more information, visit
snopud.com/carbonsolutions. SOLUTIONS »» How We Roll
Secretary Toni Olson, who represents District 3, believes »» What Happens When a
tives that help businesses incorporate efficient equipment and Power Outage is Reported?
in the values of public power and its many contributions to
measures into their operations.
Northwest communities. New PUD Hydropower Projects Come Online »» Proactive Tree Trimming
“We also offer an online tool, the Home Energy Profile, that
allows customers to conduct a short assessment of their energy “At its heart, public power This winter, the PUD brought online two new »» What’s that Loud Bang?
use to learn how they can save on bills,” she says. means local control and own- hydropower projects on Hancock & Calligan
As a result of successful energy savings, Vaughn notes, the ership of the PUD by you, its Creeks in the mountains northeast of North BACK COVER
PUD determined it did not need to pursue a final federal li- customers,” Commissioner Ol- Bend, Wash. The projects are located above
son says. “As a not-for-profit »» Sensational Savings
cense at this time for a hydropower project on the South Fork Snoqualmie Falls, an impassable barrier, so
Skykomish River. utility, the PUD charges only there are no issues related to migrating salmon. »» A Safe & Quality Water
“We have several other local hydropower projects that are what it costs to provide service.” Together the projects provide enough power for
Supply
meeting our customers’ needs, including two new facilities Public utilities in the North-
up to 10,000 homes.
above Snoqualmie Falls,” Vaughn says. “We’ve had considerable west, she notes, were granted snopud.com
success operating these sites with input from the community, “public preference” by Congress facebook.com/snopud
state and federal agencies, and local tribes.” in the 1930s to receive low-cost You Can Now Report Outages Online! instagram.com/snopud
The utility’s focus, she states, is first and foremost on its power from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), ben-
pinterest.com/snopud
efitting local communities, including many rural agricultural ar- We’ve made changes to the PUD’s online outage map, including a new form to
customers. twitter.com/snopud
eas. Through their electricity rates, public utility customers have easily report outages from a computer, tablet or smartphone. Customers will
vimeo.com/snopud
Vice President Sid Logan, who represents District 1, ap- paid the costs to operate and maintain the federal hydroelectric just need their name, phone number
snopud.com/enews
preciates the commitment by facilities on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. and address of the outage. You’ll also
PUD employees to provide the “Our region’s commitment to clean, local hydroelectric notice improvements to the look and Customer Service
best possible service to custom- power has meant lower rates for all our residents and given our feel of the map, along with better data (M-F, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
ers. businesses a competitive edge,” Olson says. displays. Check it out at snopud.com/ 425-783-1000
“As a public utility, we’re Olson warns that federal budget proposals to privatize BPA outagemap – or with a smartphone by Energy Hotline
frequently in the community and sell off the regional transmission system would strip local visiting m.snopud.com. Your source for energy-
interacting with customers, control from the region and put historically low-cost electricity efficiency information
whether performing mainte- rates at risk. Also watch for improvements to the
(8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
nance in the field, participat- “We’ve seen utilities and the Northwest Congressional del- PUD’s online SnoPAY bill pay-
425-783-1700
ing in an Arbor Day event, or egation strongly oppose these proposals, which would under- ment tool, coming soon!
holding an open house to share mine reliable and affordable energy,” she says.
information about a new proj- It’s customers’ long-standing support of public power, Ol-
ect,” says Commissioner Logan. “We also work with local cities, son emphasizes, now and into the future, that protects the sys-
the county and businesses to address a range of issues such as tem we’ve invested in for decades. Editor: Neil Neroutsos | Design: Wendy Parris
Photography: Krysta Rasmussen
Email your comments to: current@snopud.com Vol. 30. Number 1 | Published May 2018
4 Current ★ Spring 2018 How Things Work How Things Work Current ★ Spring 2018 5
From the Source
The bulk of the PUD’s energy comes from the giant generators Voltage is reduced to 230,000 volts at a At PUD substations, voltage is
From hydroelectric facilities, Snohomish County BPA substation in reduced to 12,500 volts and
at Chief Joseph, Grand Coulee and other hydroelectric dams
electricity is transported on Monroe and relayed to BPA’s Murray, distributed on primary and secondary
feeding the Bonneville Power Administration’s Northwest
500,000-volt transmission lines. Snohomish or SnoKing substations. lines to homes and businesses.
grid. Electric power has a long journey to get to the homes and
businesses served by your PUD. At the BPA substation, the voltage is reduced Nearing journey’s end, power is
again to 115,000 volts, then sent over stepped down to 120/240 volts and
transmission lines to PUD substations. delivered to PUD customers.
To figure energy costs for an item in your home, first identify the wattage.
Anatomy of a Substation Next determine the monthly kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage by multiplying
wattage by the hours per month it’s used, and then dividing by 1,000 to
Bushings are insulated fittings for carrying convert it to kWh. Finally, multiply the kWh number by the kilowatt rate.
Insulators are support conductors through the enclosure of electrical For example, if you used a 600-watt fan for 40 hours per month, you would:
devices to insulate wires from equipment, such as a transformer.
each other and from the tower. Figure kWh usage:
(600 watts x 40 hours) ÷ 1,000 = 24 kWh per month
Incoming 115,000-volt Transformer steps down
transmission lines
voltage from 115,000 volts to Watt’s the Cost? Multiply by rate:
24 kWh x 10.4 ¢ = $2.50/month
12,500 volts.
entering substation.
Control building Looking for tips to help trim your energy costs? Check out snopud.com/energyprofile
Circuit switcher houses circuit breakers,
interrupts current as needed relays, metering and other
to protect transformer. controls.
Loads of Line
The PUD maintains more than 6,400 miles of electrical line within our service territory
– enough to stretch from Everett to Boston and back!
Underground 12,500- Underground fiber-optic lines
volt distribution lines for communications between substation
for delivery to customers. and PUD energy control center.
6 Current ★ Spring 2018 How Things Work How Things Work Current ★ Spring 2018 7
Ensuring Reliability Proactive Tree Trimming
• One of the most cost-effective reliability efforts
How We Roll • Crews trim brush along up to 500 circuit miles of
PUD bucket trucks are used by four-person crews to handle the bulk of repairs. lines annually
Buckets can rise 55 feet in the air, with lift control • The entire system is trimmed on a cycle of seven
allowing easy up-and-down and side-to-side pivoting. Halogen spotlight years or less
Tool buckets keep essential
items within easy reach.
Material
handler on
driver’s side of What’s that Loud Bang I
bucket allows
for easy lifting Heard From My Neighborhood
of supplies Power Pole?
from the Hood painted black to reduce
ground. glare and increase visibility.
Fire
extinguisher
Safety items are Cutout/Fuse
kept in readily Open when there’s
accessible a problem with the
locations. line or section of it,
breaking the circuit.
Wire spool used Many people assume it’s a blown transformer.
with winches to pull
However, what sounds like a gunshot or bang
Bin for climbing gear, Bins for tools, parts Spools hold Heated bin to keep Outrigger extends and coil wire.
is more often a blown fuse, often caused by an
ropes and supplies. and supplies. spare wire. jackets, gloves and other to help stabilize truck. animal or a falling branch.
items warm and dry.
What Happens When a Power Outage is Reported?
1 ! 2 3 4 5 6
Customer calls the Service crew investigates and
PUD or visits the utility’s Outage is recorded at PUD makes a repair if possible. If it’s a larger Once completed, field crew ECC gives the final OK Throughout the process, the ECC’s
website to report an outage. Energy Control Center (ECC), job –for example, new pole installation reports back to the PUD ECC that to re-energize lines. number one priority is ensuring the safety
(425-783-1001 or reflected on the outage map or transformer replacements –a the job is done. of customers and PUD crews.
snopud.com/outagemap) and work is assigned. four-person team is called out.
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Seattle, WA
P.O. Box 1107 Permit No. 7047
Everett, WA 98206-1107
ECRWSS
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Sensational Savings
1,000 75
Dollars offered to customers who
Home weatherization projects
purchase and install a qualified
completed by customers in 2017 for
smart thermostat in their home.
better comfort and energy savings.
11 Million
Energy-efficient light bulbs used in
local homes since 2001.
H H
580
Businesses that the PUD helped with
energy efficiency projects last year –
from schools and manufacturers to
hospitals and local retailers.
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