Chehalis, WA - Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) Commissioner Michael Kelly went on a tour recently to learn more about the PUD’s broadband infrastructure and the work being done to keep vegetation away from power lines.
“Today I had the opportunity to travel with and meet some of the people who make the Lewis County PUD such a high-quality public service organization,” Commissioner Kelly said. “I experienced firsthand how our rate payer money is hard at work. This is a great way I can reassure my constituents that every dollar we the Commission are approving is delivering great value to them. I plan to be making these types of tours on a more frequent basis.”
Commissioner Kelly started the day with a demonstration from Telecommunications/Fiber Technician Steve Orr who showed how fiber is spliced together.
He then went to inspect lines that had been cleared of vegetation and watch a tree crew in action. PUD Operations Manager Bryan Watt and PUD Tree Supervisor Gary Jones led the tour and explained the details behind the vegetation management program.
The PUD puts approximately $4 million towards vegetation management every year to keep the lines clear and reduce outages. The PUD also has been awarded approximately $50 million in grant funds for the deployment of fiber to rural and underserved areas of the county.
The PUD Board of Commissioners meet the third Tuesday of each month at 5:45 p.m. for a workshop and 6:15 p.m. for their regular business meeting. The meetings are held at the PUD’s Chehalis Auditorium or the PUD’s Morton Auditorium.
About Lewis County Public Utility District
Lewis County PUD is a community-owned, locally governed utility providing power services and telecommunications infrastructure to approximately 35,000 customers throughout most of Lewis County and adjacent communities.
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