The Forks Chamber of Commerce hosted Clallam County PUD Commissioner Phyllis Bernard at their March 5 meeting, where she delivered a presentation titled Clallam PUD: Past, Present, and Future.

Bernard had recently returned from Washington, D.C., where she met with congressional representatives to advocate for the needs of Clallam County residents. “I told them what you have told me,” she shared, emphasizing that Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell were receptive to understand the challenges faced by those living on the West End. Bernard has also engaged with state legislators in Olympia multiple times on behalf of Clallam PUD.

She encouraged the public to attend the next Commissioners’ meeting, that was scheduled for March 26 at 1:30 p.m., held both in person at the PUD boardroom in Carlsborg and via Zoom. “It is very important that Clallam PUD has a dialogue with its customers,” Bernard stressed.

During her talk, Bernard delved into the history of public power, recalling how the Grange movement advocated for rural electrification during the Great Depression. In 1930, Washington voters passed Initiative No. 1, allowing for the establishment of Public Utility Districts (PUDs) to provide essential services, including electricity and water, to local communities. “Public power is owned by the people,” she reminded attendees.

Clallam PUD operates with 161 employees across offices in Forks, Clallam Bay/Sekiu, and its main office in Carlsborg. Its crews maintain 1,873 miles of distribution lines and 110 miles of transmission lines, in addition to water, wastewater, and wholesale telecommunications services.

Recent and upcoming West End projects include substation rebuilds at Neah Bay and Beaver Camp, a Highway 101-Sappho rebuild, and water system upgrades at Clallam Bay/Sekiu, including the Hoko project.

Power Outages and BPA Coordination

Bernard also discussed power reliability and the challenges associated with outages. She outlined the timeline of a recent major outage, which began when reports came in, prompting Clallam PUD to call Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) for assistance. Forks-based crews were dispatched to patrol lines while BPA sent a crew from Bremerton to locate the issue—a tree touching the line between Lake Crescent and Sappho Substation.

BPA crews, as federal employees, have specialized training and certification, preventing Clallam PUD from directly working on BPA lines. However, Bernard noted that improved coordination between Clallam PUD and BPA has helped reduce delays in power restoration.

The particularly challenging outage occurring on February 2, lasted 16 hours. Harsh weather conditions, including snow and ice, made access difficult, extending the duration of the restoration efforts.

BPA Workforce Reductions Raise Concerns

Bernard also voiced concerns over planned layoffs at BPA, which expects to lose 14% of its workforce—approximately 420 employees—including 105 through early retirement and 100 probationary employee releases. She expressed particular concern over reductions in field offices and the loss of experienced dispatchers, warning that such changes could erode safety and efficiency in power restoration efforts.

She suggested exploring alternative systems to maintain power for the West End during prolonged outages, indicating that this could be a crucial consideration for the future of the region’s energy reliability.

The PUD Commissioners’ meeting was held on March 26, at 104 Hooker Road in Carlsborg, Bonneville representatives were present. There will be more on that meeting next week.