Okanogan Public Utility District (OPUD) is taking steps to re-energize Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River. Projected costs to re-energize have almost doubled since OPUD’s initial proposal, which will place an unfair burden on local ratepayers.

Questions by several groups regarding a recent Okanogan PUD (OPUD) application to design a new powerhouse on the Enloe Dam have triggered a denial of the application, and a new public comment period with a committee of the state’s Department of Enterprise Services.

It doesn’t make sense to sink more money into this outdated dam, raising energy bills for power the region doesn’t need.

• A study shows that OPUD ratepayers will pay 2 to 4 times as much for power from Enloe Dam as they would if the power were purchased from the open market.
• We don’t need the power from Enloe Dam. The maximum power the Enloe could produce is 9MW or the equivalent of 3 windtowers. This is minimal when compared to the 700+ MW of power produced by other regional dams.
• Actual power production will be in the range of 4MW depending on available flows of the Similkameen River. But we won’t know how much water the dam can use until after we have already paid for construction, making the project economically risky.
• Construction of a new powerhouse will be expensive and will more than double the annual payments on principle and interest carried by the OPUD.
• The cost of reenergizing Enloe Dam is projected to be between $39.1 million to $45.5 million, according to OPUD.

The OPUD has advertised to hire a firm to design and build a new powerhouse next to Enloe Dam. The comment period on the OPUD’s application to build the powerhouse is now open for public comments.

The Don’t Electrify Enloe Campaign is asking Okanogan County citizens to contact the Project Review Committee (PRC) with your opinion regarding this proposal to build the new powerhouse.

How you can get involved:

1. Email your comments to Ms. Talia Baker and Ms. Nancy Deakens of the Project Review Committee: talia.baker@des.wa.gov, Nancy.deakins@des.wa.gov
2. Attend the open public hearing in Kent on April 27.