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Grant County Public Utility District
Grant County Public Utility District was formed in 1938 by local voters and remains a customer-owned utility governed by an elected Board of Commissioners, now...
Grant County Public Utility District
Grant County Public Utility District was formed in 1938 by local voters and remains a customer-owned utility governed by an elected Board of Commissioners, now led by President Tom Flint. Its mandate spans renewable hydropower generation for the Pacific Northwest and the operation of a fiber optic network that provides connectivity across Grant County, Washington. The utility’s core assets are the Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams on the Columbia River, which supply carbon-free electricity under long-term agreements with the Bonneville Power Administration. Beyond generation, Grant PUD manages a diverse property portfolio including the Quincy Chute Hydroelectric Project, the Potholes East Canal Headworks Project, the Wanapum Heritage Center in Mattawa, and several land parcels in Ephrata and Moses Lake. On the nuclear front, the district has partnered with X-energy to explore advanced reactor development. Industrial customers include Microsoft, Verizon Media, and Sabey Corporation, which have participated in the district's community-focused Pay-it-Forward fund. Grant PUD maintains active memberships in the American Public Power Association, the Large Public Power Council, and the Western Power Pool, where it participates in the Western Resource Adequacy Program. The utility also engages in energy trading and risk management through The Energy Authority. John Mertlich was appointed General Manager and CEO in 2025, succeeding prior leadership. The district’s financial base, estimated at $63M (Altss estimate) in its cash and investments portfolio, supports operations and capital projects, including a Climate Commitment Act Bond Fund. Unlike a traditional asset manager or family office, Grant PUD’s investment posture is inseparable from its role as a public utility. Its capital is deployed into hydroelectric infrastructure, real assets, and a wholesale fiber network — not third-party funds. A partnership with the Wanapum Band of Native Americans underscores a structural commitment to co-managing cultural and natural resources near its dam projects, making its governance and operating model a hybrid of energy producer, land steward, and community broadband provider.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1938
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Ephrata
Corporate office
30 C Street SW, Ephrata, WA, United States
Additional offices
Moses Lake, WA · Mattawa, WA · Quincy, WA
Principals
John Mertlich
General Manager and CEO
Tom Flint
Board of Commissioners President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and operational decisions at Grant County PUD?
General Manager and CEO John Mertlich leads day-to-day operations, having been appointed in 2025. Strategic governance sits with an elected Board of Commissioners, currently led by President Tom Flint. The board sets policy and approves major capital expenditures, while the executive team executes on hydroelectric generation, fiber network operations, and partnership agreements.
What is Grant PUD's primary source of revenue and asset base?
The utility generates the bulk of its revenue from the sale of carbon-free hydroelectric power produced at the Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams on the Columbia River. Its asset base also includes a county-wide fiber optic network, the Quincy Chute Hydroelectric Project, and a real property portfolio of service centers, land parcels, and the Wanapum Heritage Center. Power is sold under long-term transmission agreements with Bonneville Power Administration.
How does Grant PUD's partnership with X-energy fit its strategy?
Grant PUD partnered with X-energy to explore the development of advanced small modular nuclear reactors. The initiative represents a diversification beyond hydroelectric generation, aiming to add firm, zero-carbon power capacity that complements the variability of renewable hydro output. Detailed project timelines and siting remain under study.
What is Grant PUD's relationship with the Wanapum Band of Native Americans?
Grant PUD maintains a long-term, legally structured partnership with the Wanapum Band to protect cultural and natural resources located near the Priest Rapids Hydroelectric Project. This includes co-management of the Wanapum Heritage Center in Mattawa and ongoing collaboration on land-use and resource-protection plans tied to dam operations.
Does Grant PUD manage external investment funds or take outside capital?
No. Grant PUD is a customer-owned utility, not an investment manager. It does not accept third-party LP commitments. Its estimated $63M cash and investments portfolio (Altss estimate) serves operational liquidity and capital-project funding, including a Climate Commitment Act Bond Fund, rather than external fund-of-funds deployment.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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