PUD No. 2 News F A L L 2 0 1 8

How Does Your Bill Compare?

PUB L I C   U T I L I T Y  

D I S T R I C T   NO .   2    

O F   P A C I F I C   C OUNT Y  

RA YMOND  O F F I C E :  

4 0 5   D U R Y E A   S T  

P O   B O X   4 7 2  

R A Y M O N D ,   W A   9 8 5 7 7  

P H O N E :   ( 3 6 0 ) 9 4 2 ‐ 2 4 1 1  

F A X :   ( 3 6 0 ) 8 7 5 ‐ 9 3 8 8  

N A S E L L E   C U S TOMER S :  

N EW!   1 ‐ 8 3 3 ‐ 4 8 4 ‐ 7 4 5 4  

L ONG   B E A CH   O F F I C E :  

9 6 1 0   S A N D R I D G E   R D  

P O   B O X   6 1 9  

L O N G   B E A C H ,   W A   9 8 6 3 1  

P H O N E :   ( 3 6 0 ) 6 4 2 ‐ 3 1 9 1  

F A X :   ( 3 6 0 ) 6 4 2 ‐ 9 3 8 9  

WWW.PAC I F I C PUD .ORG  

D ROP   BOX E S   A R E   L O CA T ED  

I N   F RONT   O F   BO TH    

O F F I C E S   F O R   A F T E R  

HOUR S   P A YMENT S .  

PAY   B Y   PHONE :  

1 ‐844‐829‐1962   MAK E   P A YMENT S   2 4 / 7 !    

T O   R E POR T   A F T E R   HOUR S  

OU TAG E S :  

NOR TH   COUNT Y :    

1 ‐ 8 7 7 ‐ 2 0 4 ‐ 6 1 8 1  

S OU TH   COUNT Y :    

1 ‐ 8 7 7 ‐ 6 0 2 ‐ 6 4 6 5  

NEW OFFICE HOURS   

TO   ACCOMMODATE  THOS E   N E ED ING   TO  

DO   BU S IN E S S   E AR L I E R  I N   TH E  MORN INGS  OR  

L A T ER   I N   TH E  E V EN INGS  MONDAY‐THURSDAY:    7AM‐6PM   

CLOSED  FR IDAYS  

Court Ordered Decision causes District to pass on Spill Surcharge to Customers

A federal judge ordered that an experimental water spill program be conducted at the Columbia and Snake River dams in the months of April-June in an attempt to determine if more salmon were able to make it through the dams by sending water through the spillways rather than being used for power generation. Judge Simon’s order upheld a federal lawsuit overruling a 2014 biological opinion that did not recommend a spill. BPA’s 143 utility customers throughout the Pacific Northwest are now covering the $10.2 Million cost of the experimental spill project. Approximately one-third of the rate BPA charges is estimated to be associated with its fish and wildlife programs, which in turn is paid by District customers. As a BPA customer, Pacific PUD’s portion of the total cost is $30,971. This figure was not in the 2018 budget and after much deliberation the PUD Board decided that the District would be required to pass the unexpected charge on to ratepayers. District staff found there was no way to absorb the surcharge into the already lean budget. The District serves approximately 17,400 customer meters, each of which will see a $1.78 charge on their October bill, the total of $30,971 paid to BPA divided by each meter.

F A L L 2 0 1 8

New Billing Procedures to Improve Consistency During a recent evaluation of the District’s billing procedures it was found that minor changes could be made to produce a more efficient monthly billing process for both the customers and the District. Beginning in the month of October customers will see additional information on their bills as well as a change in notices mailed out. The primary change is that ratepayers will have a consistent due date each month. For example if your due date is the 1st this month it will be on the 1st the following month. Also, the District will discontinue mailing Past Due Notices. Instead a customer’s past due balance, if any, will be shown in bold on their monthly bill. Another change is Customers will no longer be receiving phone calls reminding them of pending disconnect for non-pay. Instead a Disconnect Notice will be sent no less than five days after the monthly billing if payment of the Past Due balance has not been received or a Payment Extension has not been made. This notice will add a $20.00 late fee to the customer’s account. (Please see the below example for further explanation of the District’s updated billing practice) The District will continue to allow Payment Extensions for past due balances appearing on monthly bills, up to the Disconnect Date (no less than 10 days after notification of past due amount, shown on the ensuing monthly bill). An extension gives the customers additional time after original due date to pay without receiving a late fee or further credit points on their PUD account as long as the extension is made prior to the mailing of the Disconnect Notice. The District will be phasing these changes in over the next three to six months. During this time reminder calls will continue to be made. However, customers will be reminded that these calls will eventually cease. These changes are being made to provide a more streamlined billing and collections process, to save the cost of preparing and mailing redundant notices, and to better utilize staff time in interacting with customers. As always, please feel free to contact your local office for clarification.

SEPTEMBER 2018 

SUN  MON  TUES  WED  THURS  FRI  SAT 9  10  11 

Billing Date‐ Sept. 12  13  14  15 

16  17  18  19  20  21  22 

23  24  25  26  27  28  29 

30                   

OCTOBER 2018 

SUN  MON  TUES  WED  THURS  FRI  SAT    1  2  3  4  5  6 

Due Date‐ Sept. (Same 

Every Month) 7  8  9 

Billing Date‐ Oct. Sept. Past Due Amount 

Included (Given 10+ days, Due 10/21 or subject to DISCONNECT DATE) 

10  11  12  13 

14  15  16 Disconnect No ce Sent if Sept. Past Due Amount Not 

Yet Paid, $20 Late Fee  Issued & NO FURTHER  

CONTACT WILL BE MADE 

17  18  19  20 

21 DISCONNECT DATE 

Past Due Amount Must Be Paid to Avoid  

Disconnec on in the  Following Business Days 

22  23  24  25  26  27 

28  29  30  31          

NOVEMBER 2018 

SUN  MON  TUES  WED  THURS  FRI  SAT 

            1  2  3 

4  5  6 

Due Date‐ Oct.  (Same Every Month) 

7  8  9  10 

A Payment Extension may be made at any  me prior to the mailing of a Disconnect No ce to avoid  

receiving a $20 late Fee and addi onal credit points.