Chelan PUD aims to bury Tumwater Canyon power line before winter

WENATCHEE — Chelan County PUD commissioners approved an additional $500,000 Oct. 19 to help crews finish relocating a Tumwater Canyon power line underground before winter, reducing reliance on aging infrastructure that can require workers to cross the river for repairs.

The increase brings the project budget to $3.5 million for approximately 4.5 miles of underground electric line along Highway 2 between Leavenworth and Tumwater Dam. Crews are targeting completion in early November, though weather and excavation conditions could push remaining work into 2027.

Project Manager Toby Tarzwell said the PUD has recognized the need for improvements in the corridor for several years, but steep terrain, highway constraints and complex permitting requirements have complicated the work.

Storm damage in December 2025 created an opportunity for the PUD, Washington State Department of Transportation and U.S. Forest Service to coordinate access, permits and construction.

The new alignment is intended to reduce exposure to winter weather, wildfire and rockfall while making the line easier to maintain.

General Manager Kirk Hudson said the existing overhead line runs through terrain where a rock cut blocks access along part of the route. Repairs upstream of that obstacle can require sending workers across the river, often during the same severe conditions that damaged the line.

“The river is raging, usually, when that line has an issue,” Hudson said.

The underground route will also allow the PUD to supply electricity for transportation equipment, including traffic monitoring, avalanche weather monitoring and rockslide monitoring that the previous system could not support, Tarzwell said.

Crews are working to complete the installation before WSDOT’s planned highway repaving next spring.

“This is not our typical roadside utility installation,” Tarzwell said. “The work's being performed in narrow canyon corridors, steep rock walls, limited shoulder width, traffic constraints, and some difficult excavation conditions.”

Construction has required specialized rock-cutting equipment. Describing a machine pictured in his presentation, Tarzwell said each tooth on its cutting belt was about the size of his fist.

Hudson said crews have also encountered culverts missing from existing construction records, requiring workers to determine how to handle and replace them as excavation proceeds.

The additional funding supports excavation, traffic control and construction assistance needed to maintain the accelerated schedule. It also provides flexibility if winter conditions force crews to return next year.

About 2 miles of underground work remained, according to the project presentation.

Hudson initially approved the project’s $3 million budget in January under his delegated spending authority. The revised total required commissioners’ approval.

Hudson said the PUD originally hoped to complete some work while the highway was washed out following the December storm. Road repairs took priority, but staff continued coordinating with WSDOT to find an opportunity to relocate the line before repaving.

He said the project combines an opportunity to address a longstanding maintenance problem with an investment in reliable service for a relatively small number of customers.

“This doesn't serve that many customers, but every customer we do serve is important, and it's definitely an opportunity for us to improve the service to them, and the reliability to them,” Hudson said.

The old overhead line and poles will be removed as part of the project, Tarzwell said.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media