Keeping the power flowing is one of the PUD’s most important jobs, and the utility takes it seriously. It invests in preventative maintenance, infrastructure improvements and technology upgrades to maintain high levels of reliability.

Each year, the PUD trims up to 750 line miles of trees to reduce the likelihood of branches and trees coming into contact with power lines. Tree-trimming efforts have been well recognized as the utility has been named a Tree Line USA utility for several years running. The PUD advises customers to help it identify problem trees in their neighborhoods. The utility can help determine if the customer is responsible (for vegetation along the power line that runs from the pole to the service entrance of the home) or if the PUD can assist with the trimming or removal. Call the PUD’s Vegetation Management Department at 425-783-5579.

The PUD’s ongoing system maintenance and improvements help minimize power outages and address growing customer needs. In the past year, utility crews have focused on transmission lines, underground cable, aging poles, distribution ties and other equipment throughout the PUD service area. Larger projects have supported improved system performance in Mill Creek, Clearview, Edmonds, Snohomish and on Camano Island. The utility also completed design work on two new substations, and automated several others as part of a multi-year grid modernization effort.

For several years, the PUD has focused on modernizing its electrical system with smart grid technology, supported by more than $15 million in federal grants. When completed, the upgraded system will reduce the number and duration of outages and allow customers to monitor their real-time energy use. Improvements also will make it easier for customers to incorporate small-scale generating sources, such as solar, into their energy supply.