The Chelan County PUD is making more money available in its energy rebate program. At its meeting Monday, PUD Commissioners voted to increase the program's funding by three million dollars, which increases the program's budget to more than 7-and-a-half million dollars. The increase is due to the program's popularity – residential participation in the program has doubled this year, after interest waned in 2022 due to inflation and supply chain issues. The PUD's Energy Development and Conservation Manager Andrew Grassell says there are benefits to the program not only for residents, but the PUD as well:
Grassell said that 25 megawatts had a value of some 25 million dollars to the PUD. PUD Board President Randy Smith had high praise for the program:
The PUD offers customers cash back on energy-efficient improvements to their home or business, including windows, insulation, lighting, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; Grassell says it's the HVAC systems which are accounting for most of the rebates lately. For every dollar the PUD pays in energy efficiency rebates, it earns about $1.70 back by selling hydropower on the wholesale energy market.