Wells Dam
The Wells Hydroelectric Project is operated by Douglas County PUD. Okanogan County PUD receives 8% of their power through a long term power purchasing agreement. Wells began its first commercial generation in August, 1967, under a 50 year license that was issued in 1963.
Other utilities receiving power from Wells Dam in addition to Douglas and Okanogan County PUD's include Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric Company, PacifiCorp and Avista.
Because power generated from Wells Dam is reliant on water conditions, this is a variable source of energy. In a typical year, the Okanogan PUD would receive up to 65 mega-watts of power from Wells Dam. As we experienced in 2001, drought conditions can jeopardize the production from this power source. For this reason, your PUD is always looking for alternatives such as wind powered generation and enhanced BPA contracts to ensure an uninterrupted supply of power to our customers.