Chelan PUD Planning 13 New, Expanded Substations Due To Rising Energy Demand

Energy use in the Lake Chelan area has grown nearly five times higher than in other areas of the county since 2015, according to the Chelan County PUD.

Customer Service Director Andy Wendell told KOHO that is accelerating planning to meet the area-wide electric needs for new homes, businesses and industry, including an invitation for public comments.

Wendell said forecasts show the need to build a new substation near Lake Chelan Dam, south of Chelan’s city limits, by 2024 to maintain reliable service and have power available for new and existing customers. New transmission lines are needed, too. Three of the five existing substations in the Chelan area are now above 80-percent capacity. Forecasts for meeting future load assume the new North Shore substation is built and online by 2021.