Chehalis generation facility reports avoided water purchase; staff to propose process changes for future public notice

FSEC staff and the council discussed a recent near‑miss at the Chehalis generation facility in which the plant anticipated purchasing additional water from the city but did not need to after rainfall restored regular water use. Jeremy Smith, operations manager for the Chehalis facility, said the facility had no nonroutine items other than what’s in the meeting packet. Amy Hofkgemeyer (FSEC staff) explained that the plant had been operating with lower reserve water and at one point planned to purchase city water; adequate rainfall later obviated the purchase. Hofkgemeyer said this was the first time the facility needed to consider such a purchase since 2021. Staff noted the site certificate agreement calls for a 15‑day notification window and that changes to the Open Public Meetings Act prompted by earlier process changes have tightened public comment opportunities for rapid council actions. Hofkgemeyer said staff will work with the facility to identify process changes that would give the public more meaningful opportunity to comment in situations where the council may need to act quickly on water‑purchase decisions or similar time‑sensitive operations.