Chelan PUD expands customer bill assistance program

WENATCHEE — Chelan County PUD commissioners on Monday approved a major expansion of the utility’s customer bill assistance program, opening eligibility to all income-qualified households and increasing the discount to 25% of basic and usage charges for residential electric, water and wastewater customers.

The change, presented to the board by Cathy Melton, Customer Service Program Analyst for Chelan PUD, shifts the district’s long-standing program from one limited to low-income seniors and customers with disabilities to one available to any household that meets income guidelines.

“This is really about making sure we’re serving our customers the best that we possibly can,” Melton told commissioners. “We’re not at the end of the marathon, but this feels like a solid checkpoint.”

Under the new structure, customers currently enrolled in the existing assistance program will automatically roll into the new one without needing to reapply. The district is also expanding how customers can access the program, with online applications added while maintaining in-person options for those who prefer face-to-face assistance or lack reliable internet access.

Commissioner Garry Arseneault noted the potential impact in communities with higher financial need, particularly in District 1, which he represents and which includes parts of south Wenatchee and Malaga.

“Now, District 1, which is my district, is probably the most financially challenged part of Chelan County, and I'm glad to see that we're rolling this program out,” Arseneault said. “It fits very nicely with our guiding principles and sets a clear direction with respect to providing that kind of assistance.”

Melton said the district plans an extensive outreach effort, including bill messages, social media, information in customer newsletters and partnerships with community agencies to make sure residents are aware of the expanded eligibility.

The timing of the change is notable.

Earlier in the same meeting, government affairs manager Kelli Scott briefed commissioners on House Bill 2373 in Olympia, a proposal that would require electric utilities across Washington to create monthly bill discount programs for low-income customers and, in its original form, require utilities to fund those programs themselves. As of early February, that bill remained in committee and had not advanced past its first legislative hurdle.

Chelan PUD’s expanded program, however, was already well in development before that conversation reached Olympia. The system updates required to broaden eligibility, redesign the application process and transition current recipients into the new structure would have taken months of planning and preparation.

In effect, the PUD moved ahead of a still-unsettled statewide debate by implementing a broader assistance program on its own terms, before any mandate had even cleared a committee vote.

Scott told commissioners the PUD has pushed back on proposals that would impose a one-size-fits-all statewide model, arguing that local utilities are better positioned to design programs that fit their communities.

Monday’s action offered a clear example of that approach in practice: expanding assistance proactively, rather than waiting to be told how to do it.

The resolution establishing the new program also amends the district’s utility service regulations to reflect the broader eligibility and new discount structure.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media