What Douglas County PUD does

Douglas County PUD (Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County) is a municipal public utility district organized under Washington State law (RCW Chapter 54), serving residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural customers within Douglas County, Washington. The utility is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners and is not privately held. Its core generation asset is the Wells Hydroelectric Project, a run-of-river hydroelectric facility on the Columbia River with a 9,740-acre reservoir, 331,200 acre-feet gross storage capacity, and a 30-mile reservoir footprint, producing carbon-free power that exceeds county load requirements. Federal operating rights include FERC License No. 2149 and a 50-year Wells Habitat Conservation Plan running through June 20, 2054, covering salmon and steelhead protection with documented 96% 5-year average project survival for yearling spring migrants.

The utility distributes electricity through seven regulated rate schedules (General Service, Irrigation, Area Lighting, Power Delivery for large loads over 1,500 kVA, Communication Services, EV Charging, and others) and operates the Douglas County Community Network (DCCN) fiber optic system delivering business-class Ethernet up to 10 Gbps and residential broadband services, plus a Withrow Water System. Customers benefit from one of the lowest median energy burdens in the nation at 1.1%, reflecting low-cost hydroelectric generation. Auxiliary programs include CETA Energy Assistance ($10/month credit for income-qualified households) and Neighbor-to-Neighbor Assistance (up to $200 annual credit).

Recent strategic initiatives include a $7 million purchase order with Nel Hydrogen (signed April 2026) for PEM electrolyzer equipment to build the first green hydrogen plant owned and operated by a public utility at the Wells Project, targeted for first-half 2027 operations. A three-utility partnership with Chelan PUD and Grant PUD (announced April 2026) will equally share an estimated $22 million in costs to study geothermal potential in Central Washington, addressing a projected 5-gigawatt regional shortfall by 2030. The utility is structurally positioned to meet Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act mandate of 100% renewable or non-emitting electricity by 2045.

Name

Douglas County PUD

Legal name

Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County

Website

https://douglaspud.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Douglas County PUD is a public utility company that provides reliable supply of electric energy and internet broadband services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Distribution (221122), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Power Districts & State/Provincial Utilities (EUADABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Generation (EUACAEAC)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Hydroelectric power generation
• Fiber optic broadband
• Public utility district
• Renewable energy distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

East Wenatchee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electric Power Distribution: Revenue from providing electric power distribution services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Douglas County. Rates are set according to published rate schedules including Schedule 1 (General Service), Schedule 2 (Irrigation), Schedule 3 (Area Lighting), Schedule 4 (Power Delivery for large loads), and others.
2. Communication Services: Provides fiber optic communication services including Ethernet, dark fiber, colocation, and internet bandwidth services to wholesale providers and end users.
3. Alternative Renewable Resource Service: Optional service allowing customers to designate portion of energy from alternate renewable resources (wind and solar) at additional cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Douglas County PUD generates and distributes electricity to residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural customers in Douglas County, Washington, primarily through the Wells Hydroelectric Project on the Columbia River. The utility also delivers fiber optic broadband internet services through the Douglas County Community Network (DCCN) and provides water service through the Withrow Water System. Services are billed via published rate schedules (Schedule 1 General Service, Schedule 2 Irrigation, Schedule 3 Area Lighting, Schedule 4 Power Delivery, Schedule 6 Communications, Schedule 8 EV Charging).

Product overview

Douglas County PUD operates as a public utility district providing essential services including electric power generation and distribution (via the Wells Hydroelectric Project), fiber optic internet services through the Douglas County Community Network (DCCN), and water services. The utility offers various customer assistance programs including energy conservation rebates, CETA Energy Assistance for low-income households, and the Neighbor-to-Neighbor community assistance program. The utility recently announced a strategic initiative to produce green hydrogen using PEM electrolyzers powered by excess hydroelectric capacity, making it the first green hydrogen plant owned by a public utility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Service (Schedule 1 General Service and other rate schedules) Power generation and distribution services provided to residential, commercial, industrial, and irrigation customers in Douglas County, Washington, sourced primarily from the Wells Hydroelectric Project. Billed under published rate schedules including Schedule 1 (General Service), Schedule 2 (Irrigation), Schedule 3 (Area Lighting), Schedule 4 (Power Delivery for large loads over 1,500 kVA), and Schedule 8 (EV Charging).
• Internet Services (DCCN - Douglas County Community Network) Fiber optic broadband and communication services offered through the Douglas County Community Network, providing residential and business internet connectivity with various speed tiers under Schedule 6. Plans include Basic Lit Ethernet (100 Mbps at $27.00/month, 1 Gbps at $54.00/month), Integrated Bandwidth (100 Mbps at $35.00/month for 5 TB, 1 Gbps at $55.00/month for 10 TB), and Business Class (100 Mbps at $143.00/month, 1 Gbps at $400.00/month, 10 Gbps at $2,000.00/month).
• Withrow Water System Water utility service provided to customers in the Withrow area of Douglas County.
• Energy Conservation Programs Residential and commercial energy efficiency programs including attic insulation rebates, appliance efficiency guidance, and conservation education to reduce customer energy consumption.
• CETA Energy Assistance Bill assistance program for low-income households meeting income eligibility requirements (at or below 80% Area Median Income or 200% Federal Poverty Level with energy burden of 6% or more of income), providing $10 monthly bill credits under the Clean Energy Transformation Act.
• Neighbor-to-Neighbor Energy Assistance Community-based energy assistance program providing annual credits up to $200 (equivalent to 20% of prior 12 months of billed electric costs) for income-qualified Douglas County residents.
• Alternative Renewable Resource Service Optional service allowing customers to designate a portion of their energy from alternate renewable resources (wind and solar) at additional cost.
• EV Charging Service (Schedule 8) Electric vehicle charging service for commercial and public use, with separate rates for customer charging stations and district-owned EV stations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% 5-year average project survival for yearling spring migrants
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nel Hydrogen (Nel ASA)coreTechnology or Integration · 23 April 2026Douglas County PUD ordered approximately US$7 million in PEM electrolyzer equipment from Nel Hydrogen US (subsidiary of Nel ASA) for deployment at the Wells Hydroelectric Project. The equipment will produce renewable hydrogen by utilizing excess hydroelectric power to balance the grid. This represents the first green hydrogen plant sold by Nel that will be owned and operated by a public utility. Nel's stacks will be manufactured in Wallingford, Connecticut, with operations expected to begin in the first half of 2027.
• Chelan PUD and Grant PUDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Chelan, Douglas, and Grant PUDs in Washington state are considering a partnership to study geothermal energy potential in Central Washington. Each utility shares an equal portion of the estimated $22 million cost for geophysical surveys and below-ground research. The collaboration aims to address predicted energy shortfalls, including a projected 5-gigawatt shortfall in Washington and Oregon by 2030.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chelan County PUD: Washington State public utility district operating major run-of-river hydro assets (Rocky Reach and Rock Island dams) on the Columbia River; co-partner with Douglas PUD in the $22M Central Washington geothermal study and faces an identical regulatory and rate-setting framework, making it the closest functional peer.
• Grant County PUD: Washington PUD operating Priest Rapids and Wanapum hydro projects on the Columbia. Shares Douglas PUD's FERC licensing, CETA exposure, habitat conservation obligations, and the joint geothermal R&D partnership—an essentially identical operating model adjacent on the same river system.
• Snohomish County PUD: Washington PUD serving Snohomish County with a mix of hydro, thermal, and renewable generation plus fiber broadband—closely mirroring Douglas PUD's combination of regulated electric distribution and broadband, and similarly governed by an elected commission.
• Okanogan County PUD: Neighboring Washington PUD north of Douglas County, similarly small and rural, with comparable FERC-licensed hydro operations, low-density distribution, and a public-power governance structure.
• Franklin County PUD: Washington PUD serving Franklin County with similar mix of residential, agricultural irrigation, and large-load customers. Highly analogous customer segmentation (irrigation-heavy) and rate-schedule design as Douglas PUD.

Broad incumbents

• Seattle City Light: Municipal electric utility of the City of Seattle operatingBoundary, Skagit, and Cedar Falls hydropower, distributing to a large urban service territory. Comparable as a Washington hydro-based municipal utility, but materially larger and more urbanized than Douglas PUD.
• Tacoma Public Utilities: Tacoma's municipal light & power division operates Cushman and Nisqually hydro projects and provides electric, water, and rail services. Overlaps with Douglas PUD on hydro generation, fiber-adjacent offerings, and a non-profit public-power structure, though within a much larger service area.
• Avista Corporation: Investor-owned utility serving eastern Washington and northern Idaho with hydro, thermal, and growing renewables. Comparable on geography and hydro heritage but differs on private ownership, profit motive, and broader service area.

Others

• Bonneville Power Administration: Federal agency that markets power from federal Columbia River dams and is Douglas PUD's regional wholesale counterparty and transmission provider. Not a competitor, but central to the operating environment, FERC framework, and surplus-power monetization that Douglas PUD relies on.

Regional players

• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): California's large community-owned electric utility with diversified generation including hydro and significant renewable investments. Similar public-power model and clean-energy mandate, but operates in a different geography, regulatory regime, and scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DouglasPUD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWOrAmF589bnw3RrRGCoWnw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DouglasCountyPUD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/douglas-county-public-utility-district-no-1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Douglas County PUD