Jerry Asmussen
Describe your professional experience, public service, and any other background relevant to this position.
I am an auctioneer and a rancher from Tonasket. I have two degrees from Washington State University, one in agricultural economics and one in animal science. Currently I am serving my fist term as PUD commissioner for District 3. Prior to that I served for 20 years on the Tonasket School Board. I serve on the Okanogan Conservation District board, to which I was appointed by the Washington State Conservation Commission. I volunteer as a board member of the Hamilton Youth Foundation. Additionally, I volunteer at many charity and fundraising auctions and other community events.
What are the three main issues for the Okanogan County PUD, and what would you do to address them?
The three main issues facing the PUD are reliability, price of electricity, and government regulation and mandates. Reliability is an issue due to aging infrastructure and supply constraints of materials and power. I believe that reliability should be addressed by maintaining the current system, strategic investment in upgrades, and securing power supplies to meet current and future needs at a reasonable cost.
The price of electricity to our customers is always important. Price is the result of many factors. Of particular concern to me are market forces, escalating supply chain costs, and inflation in general. I believe that through conservative, common-sense and realistic budgeting, in addition to diligence and knowledge, the PUD can manage and provide reasonably priced power to customers.
Government regulations and mandates add elements of increased cost and other unknowns. As many of the regulations and mandates are fairly recent, the rules are in the process of being written, which adds to uncertainty. By closely following issues and thoughtful analysis we can inform governmental policy makers and prepare for mandated changes and costs.
What makes you the best candidate for PUD commissioner?
I believe that my experience and skills distinguish me as the best candidate for PUD commissioner. In addition to serving as the current commissioner, I have served on many other boards throughout Okanogan County. While serving on a variety of boards, I have learned and demonstrated the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful commissioner for all of Okanogan County. I have set policy, evaluated executives, worked with large budgets, worked with other board members, established connections and listened to others.
The PUD has recently replaced or upgraded much of its infrastructure. Are there other capital projects you believe are necessary?
Capital investment in infrastructure is key to being able to reliably deliver power and broadband to our customers. As a system ages, it is important to replace and rebuild components. Transmission lines, substation transformers and distribution lines all are capital-dependent projects. The Okanogan-to-Twisp and Tonasket-to-Oroville transmission lines are both over 60 years old and rise to the top, as do aging distribution poles. Through maintenance and testing, it should be possible to time our capital needs to get past the high cost of borrowing and thus a period of lower interest rates.
How can the PUD plan for future power needs, particularly in light of predictions of decreased water supply, more-extreme temperatures, and energy-conservation goals?
By identifying when and where current loads are — and future loads will be — the PUD can identify power supplies that best fit our needs. Key will be the upcoming Bonneville Power Administration 2028 power contract, which will determine power allocation and cost throughout the West and for the Okanogan PUD. While we get a significant amount of power from Wells Dam and a small amount from the Nine Canyon Wind Project, there are times that these sources don’t match our electrical load needs.
The PUD uses conservation incentives to reduce demand and routinely exceeds our budgeted amount by using unspent conservation dollars from other utilities. With continued demand growth from electrification mandates and customer needs, there will be times when the PUD will need power from other sources. Solar appears to fill the need for the August shortfall, while storage seems to fit in the winter months.
Is the PUD’s broadband network adequate to serve Okanogan County? If not, how would you address this?
No, as long as there are people who do not have service they need, or no service at all, there will be the need to increase infrastructure. Okanogan County is served by multiple utilities and internet providers, which precludes the PUD from installing networks throughout the county. In our service area, I would like to concentrate on those customers who have no service.
What is the PUD’s role in providing power from renewable sources other than hydropower?
Hydropower is key to Okanogan PUD’s ability to provide reliable low cost power to customers. While the PUD has wind power from Nine Canyon, there continue to be opportunities to secure power from other renewable projects. Most renewable projects provide power at a cost higher than hydro; each opportunity must be analyzed regarding the effect on reliability and overall cost to customers.
What do you see as the best outcome for Enloe Dam?
Enloe Dam is a legacy nonperforming asset. Managing the liability is important to balance the short- and long-term cost to customers. This is an issue for the board of commissioners because, by committing to a predetermined action, it affects a board member’s ability to analyze information and work with the other board members.
Is the PUD’s rate structure fair and sustainable? Would you make any changes to it?
Sustainable, yes. Fair, by working through a cost-of-service analysis, we can make sure that different rate classes pay their share. Unfortunately, this shows that residential rates are the most subsidized by other rate classes. This adds pressure on residential rates. I think that adjusting rates over time is less of a shock than a large one-time adjustment.
Joseph Enzensperger
Describe your professional experience, public service and relevant background.
I have lived in Oroville for 42 years, serving the north end of Okanogan County as a residential plumber. I have worked for seniors, low-income people, and lots of working families with children. I have worked for people of means and those with very little, providing quality workmanship at a price my customers can afford. It is the people that matter.
I have been president of the Oroville Grange since 2013, believing the Grange Hall, the largest public venue in town, should be dedicated to the needs of our community. I am a founding member of the Okanogan County chapter of Habitat for Humanitynand currently serve on the board. I was chosen as Oroville’s “Citizen of the Year” in 2018. This election for PUD Commissioner is my first time seeking public office.
What are the three main issues for the Okanogan PUD, and what would you do to address them?
First and foremost, our PUD should put new emphasis on conserving energy through new energy-efficient technologies in heating, cooling, pumps and lighting. The Northwest Power Act, passed in the early 1980s, revolutionized power planning by putting the emphasis on conservation. Since then we have saved an average of 7,500 megawatts of electricity annually in the Northwest. After hydropower, conserved energy is now the second-largest energy source in the Northwest.
By installing heat pumps, efficient lighting, better insulation, windows and doors in residences and businesses, we can lower ratepayer electric bills. PUD energy audits, combined with help to access federal and state grant programs that pay for energy-efficient heat pumps, lighting and insulation, would lower electric bills and provide an energy surplus available for other uses within the district.
Our second priority should be to produce more energy through the development of grid-tied solar energy production. Our buildings, private residences, commercial building and warehouses that have good southern exposure could be equipped with the new generation of highly efficient solar panels and connected to our utility grid. These could provide additional power during peak summer loads and, when combined with battery storage, provide additional power when we need it. Solar arrays at PUD substations could do the same. We should take advantage of federal and state assistance programs to move in this 21st century, with a forward-looking vision for our public utility.
Our third priority should be to help create new, good-paying jobs for Okanogan County. Without jobs, our next generation will be looking elsewhere for employment. Training programs, with assistance from the PUD, could equip the next generation of contractors in many fields. Contractors specializing in energy conservation and weatherization, electricians to install heat pumps and rooftop solar systems, plumbers installing heat pumps and solar-assisted water heaters, contractors specializing in window and door upgrades. These trades are all needed in our communities.
What makes you the best candidate for PUD Commissioner?
Forward vision is what distinguishes my position. We are in the early stages of a much-needed energy revolution powered by electricity that is produced in many new and innovative ways. Burning fossil fuels has gotten us this far, but along the way has made changes to our planet’s weather that, if not corrected, will have long-term catastrophic impacts on life on earth. I fully embrace the science behind this reality.
The PUD has recently replaced or upgraded much of its infrastructure. Are there other capital projects you believe are necessary,?
We need to continue upgrading aged substations in the district as quickly as revenues will allow. The Oroville substation still needs an upgrade, as does the transmission line from Tonasket to Oroville. Investing in underground transmission lines, especially in fire-prone areas, would be good investments. Continued investment in communication and expansion of the high-speed fiber network are needed ongoing investments. We should build rapid vehicle-charging stations throughout the county.
What do you see as the best outcome for Enloe Dam?
Enloe Dam has not produced a single kilowatt of power since 1958. It provides no flood control and is not needed for irrigation. The last Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license application was terminated in 2018 with a decision by the PUD not to build, after the PUD spent $18 million. 2020 saw an additional $7.5 million spent on replacing the control gates required for a dry face dam inspection by the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE). After spending $30 million, we have produced nothing but debt.
We now have the opportunity to work with partners to remove Enloe Dam. The federal government has set aside $800 million for the removal of unproductive dams on public lands. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NMFS have $22 million annually for habitat recovery. The British Columbia government has expressed interest in removing Enloe Dam. The Colville Confederated Tribes and the Upper and Lower Similkameen Bands have passed resolutions calling for the restoration of the Similkameen to pre-1900 condition.
Is the PUD rate structure fair and sustainable? Would you make changes?
I would look at hook-up fees. They seem to be very high and prohibit landowners from connecting to the PUD. I would also look at peak demand charges, which adversely affect restaurant owners I have engaged. Rates should be evaluated and adjusted on an ongoing basis.
