Public Utility District #1 of Okanogan County (OK PUD) provides electric and broadband service to the largest County in Washington. Our main office is in the city of Okanogan, and we have additional offices in the towns of Oroville, Tonasket and Brewster.
Not only do we work in your areas, we live in your neighborhoods, have kids in your schools, and attend your churches. We volunteer our time to raise funds for local organizations and work diligently to support local activities and businesses. Because the area in which we serve is also the area in which we live, doing the job timely and accurately is not simply good work practice, it is good people practice. It is the way we live.
Our Mission
Provide dependable public utility services at a reasonable cost, governed by, and for the benefit of our customers in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Publicly Owned, Community Powered
Locally controlled
Governed by your locally elected board of directors, giving the community a voice.
Affordable
Homes and businesses pay less than those served by private utilities.
Reliable
Fewer outages and faster response times.
Community-focused
Investing in local jobs, schools, charities, and infrastructure.
100 Years of Public Power
For over 100 years, public power has given communities the choice to control their own energy future.
Fast Facts
14
Communities Served
Customers
Almost
17000
94
Employees
We Maintain:
2808
Square Mile Service Area
17
Substations
1890
Miles of distribution line
131
Miles of transmission line
Overview
OK PUD service area covers 2,808 square miles of Okanogan County (5,315 square miles), which is the largest county in the State of Washington. The remainder of the county is served by two electric co-ops to which OK PUD wheels power.
We serve nearly 17,000 customers and over 22,000 active meters composed mainly of residential, commercial, and irrigation accounts.
We have been at the forefront of developing renewable energy resources in the Pacific Northwest, through partnerships in projects such as Energy Northwest Nine Canyon Wind Farm since the early 2000s.
OK PUD infrastructure is used to deliver power to both Nespelem Valley Electric Co-op (NVEC) and Okanogan Electric Co-op (OCEC).
In addition, we provide wholesale, cost-based broadband service to retail service providers, who provide their service to the residents and businesses of Okanogan County. This system also serves the internal needs of the District for communications and SCADA.
A public utility is a consumer-owned utility—locally controlled, not-for-profit, and governed by a board of commissioners elected by the communities it serves.
Power Mix
Our major sources of power are hydro and wind. We currently receive 10% output of the Wells Hydro Project, 16% output of Nine Canyon Wind Farm and we are a BPA block customer.
The District is exploring other sources of power supply to cover future load growth and I-937 (Energy Independence Act) issues, as well as the Clean Energy Transformation Act – Read more in our Clean Energy Implementation Plan (XLSX).
History
Getting Started
In 1936 the Washington State Legislature passed legislation authorizing formation of public utility districts. The debate then centered on local issues of public versus private power until 1939 when the voters approved forming their own public utility district. That action put in motion engineering studies, financing proposals, negotiations, and legal challenges with the existing power company, the Washington Water Power Company (WWP).
Establishing a Strong Electric System
This process consumed 6 years and was completed in 1945 when the Okanogan County PUD paid Washington Water Power $2,314,240.33 for the entire system in Okanogan County, including Enloe Dam, and began operating its own electric system.
Over the past 80 years, we have provided county residences and businesses with a low-cost, reliable source of electrical energy and today’s rates are some of the lowest in the Northwest.
Adding Broadband
In 2001 we began providing wholesale, cost-based broadband service to retail service providers, who provide their service to the residents and businesses of Okanogan County.
We have constructed an 82-mile fiber optic backbone from the Columbia River at Pateros to the Canadian border north of Oroville. In 2002, we began offering wholesale broadband services on wireless infrastructure. We planned our infrastructure to ultimately benefit all of our electrical customers.
The Future
Continued Growth
The District’s electric system continues to steadily grow from 5,893 customers in 1945 to nearly 17,000 customers today and over 22,000 active meters. Annual electric usage has also steadily increased from 3,255 KWH per residence in 1945 to 30,929 KWH today.
The Board of Commissioners and our entire staff are dedicated to providing reliable electric service to Okanogan County. Efforts are continuing to acquire more low-cost power supplies and improve efficiencies within the electric system.
We are confident that we will continue to be a valuable asset to county residents by saving millions of dollars in power costs. The next 40 years will continue to provide us with opportunities with which we can continue to provide greater benefits to Okanogan County.