TUD touts $297,000 in state funding for backup power during blackouts
Tuolumne Utilities District, the agency that provides water and sewer services for most of Tuolumne County's residents, has received a $297,202 grant for community power resiliency from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, TUD staff announced Wednesday.
The Cal OES funding is intended to help TUD purchase and add much-needed backup power generation for critical water and wastewater infrastructure to continue reliable operations during power outages, TUD staff said in a statement.
TUD has struggled to deliver uninterrupted water and sewer services during blackouts imposed by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. during forecasts of high winds and increased fire dangers. The shortfalls have been a problem for TUD since the first of PG&E'S imposed blackouts, which PG&E calls public safety power shutoffs. The first public safety power shutoff imposed by PG&E in 2019 covered TUD'S entire service area.
“Providing water during times of high fire danger and power stoppages is a critical safety priority for TUD,” Barbara Balen, appointed president of the TUD'S elected board of directors, said in prepared remarks. “This was definitely a team effort and a great example of TUD saving thousands of local dollars by applying for state funding for the generators that minimize the hardship and disruption of water delivery during a power outage.”
In an effort to improve operations and management during uncertain public safety power shutoffs, TUD had to create response teams, and purchase and rent $200,000 of additional power generation in 2020, using ratepayer dollars to supply backup power to TUD'S 12 water treatment plants, 55 pump stations, and 29 sewer lift stations, to ensure reliable operations during PSPS events and emergencies.
The Cal OES grant will help in future fire weather-related blackouts imposed by PG&E, Ed Pattison, the TUD general manager, said in TUD'S announcement. Access to these funds to purchase additional generators increases Tuolumne Utilities District responsiveness, and the reliability of water and wastewater services during public safety power shutoff events and emergencies, Pattison said.
These Cal OES grant funds extend TUD'S ability, and leverage ratepayer dollars “to ensure ongoing reliable service during the worst of times,” TUD staff said in their statement Wednesday.
TUD staff completed an application through Cal OES for a Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Special Districts in October 2020. Cal OES announced the TUD grant request to enhance resiliency against power shutoff events was approved last Friday, March 12.
“TUD, which is a special district agency, appreciates the efforts of the California Special Districts Association,” TUD staff said, “for working with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in order to advocate for special districts to be included in community resiliency funding.”
Through the California Special Districts Association, $20 million in state budget allocations have been set aside to help districts better prepare for continuity of services when power goes out during public safety power shutoffs and other outages.