Chelan PUD pursues projects to reduce wildfire risk, improve reliability

LEAVENWORTH — Chelan County PUD is investing in a series of projects aimed at ensuring the steady, safe delivery of electricity during wildfire season while preparing the electrical grid for future growth.

From aggressive tree pruning to underground powerline conversions, the utility’s initiatives are designed to meet multiple goals simultaneously, said Chad Rissman, director of distribution asset management for Chelan PUD.

“The projects that make it into our work plan are projects that are going to have benefits associated with several of these goals,” Rissman said. “The more goals they cover, we’re trying to advance those and get those staffed and funded.”

Chelan PUD’s efforts include an expanded vegetation management program, targeted equipment upgrades, and the use of new technology to enhance grid reliability.

Vegetation Management

Tree pruning remains the utility’s first line of defense in protecting reliability and reducing fire risks. Five years ago, Chelan PUD doubled its pruning and inspection efforts, adopting a more aggressive cycle to keep trees and shrubs a safe distance from powerlines.

Utility Vegetation Manager Bill Sanborn oversees three utility foresters and four to six tree crews that operate year-round across the county. Last year, Chelan PUD deployed new software and field tablets to enable real-time tracking of inspections and work progress using GIS mapping.

Equipment Upgrades and Grid Modernization

In downtown Leavenworth, about 31 customers will experience an overnight outage in the coming weeks as crews replace aging electrical equipment in an underground vault. Chelan PUD will coordinate directly with affected businesses and residents ahead of the work.

Beyond Leavenworth, the utility is investing in substation improvements. Crews replaced a transformer at the Plain Substation last year, and upgrades at the Coles Corner Switchyard are scheduled to begin in 2027. A new Bavarian Substation at North Road and Chumstick Highway is currently in the permitting stage, with construction set to start next year.

Automation is also a key component of Chelan PUD’s wildfire mitigation strategy. Several years ago, the utility adjusted the sensitivity of its electrical grid during fire season, leading to a trade-off between reduced fire risk and increased outage frequency. Recent installations allow for automated switching between sensitive and typical settings based on daily wildfire risk.

System Sectionalizing and Fire-Safe Equipment

Chelan PUD is working to divide large areas of the electrical grid into smaller sections, a process known as sectionalizing, through 2026. The change is intended to minimize the number of homes impacted during outages.

The utility has also begun replacing spark-emitting equipment with non-emitting alternatives. Over the next two years, Chelan PUD plans to expand these efforts, starting in the areas with the highest fire danger. Where expulsion fuses remain in use, crews are clearing 10-foot areas around power poles to mitigate risks.

Underground Conversions

About two-thirds of Chelan PUD’s neighborhood-level utility lines are already underground. The utility continues to identify fire-prone areas where converting overhead lines to underground systems is practical and beneficial.

Last year, Chelan PUD buried about a mile of overhead lines in the Idlewild neighborhood near Fish Lake. A 1.2-mile underground conversion is now underway along lower River Road in Plain.

Chelan PUD’s multi-pronged approach reflects a broader effort to build a safer, more resilient electrical system for Chelan County’s communities, particularly as wildfire seasons grow longer and more severe.