Utilities must step up for new housing

By Terry Murry on Thursday, April 15th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – Early indications are that plans are underway to develop about 227 acres of land off Interstate 84 for housing. That equates for more than 2,000 homes in total.

The city has said it will pay to lay infrastructure for housing development. Public Works Director Bob Patterson said that the electric and gas utilities need to up their capacity. Right now Pacific Power only has two megawatts of electricity available for growth.

“Just the drinking water infrastructure that we’re planning to bring on in the next two to three years will generate 1.5 megawatts of use,” Patterson said.

He said that the current Cascade Natural Gas gate on the Williams Line that feeds Pendleton and Pilot Rock is also at capacity.

“We have to start working with our private utilities as we’re looking to make these projects advance and partner and bring them into the fold,” Patterson said. “Those discussions are now occurring.”