EPHRATA - Grant County PUD commissioners unanimously approved a $4.5 million contract with engineering firm MacKay & Sposito, Inc., of Kennewick, on Monday.

The firm's duties involve construction inspection, management, materials sampling and testing for 33 Grant PUD projects within and outside its Priest Rapids Project.

Completing many of the projects helps the district meet federal licensing requirements to own and operate its Columbia River dams, according to a staff memo written to Tim Culbertson, the district's general manager.

The dams produce power for homes and businesses in Grant County and the district also makes money by selling power to some utilities.

The PUD must have a federal license to keep providing low-cost power to its customers.

The projects included within the new contract include the Priest Rapids fish bypass and fish hatcheries.

Work is expected to be done on Dec. 31, 2016, according to the contract completion date.

There was $852,000 budgeted for concrete inspection and construction inspection for the Priest Rapids fish bypass, with $1.11 million budgeted for concrete inspection and construction inspection for the Priest Rapids hatchery renovation.

The district currently has a $3.75 million contract with the same engineering firm for professional engineering services for a soil erosion and recreation facility, said Dawn Woodward, the district's hydro director, Monday.

About $2.3 million was spent on the $3.75 million contract, with a total of $2.73 million committed, she said.

They have also been used to complete inspection services for the shoreline erosion project.

It isn't possible to use the existing project for work on the other contract because those duties exceed the contract scope, she explained.

For example, work on the Priest Rapids fish bypass and fish hatcheries wouldn't be covered under the existing contract.

With the additional construction projects, about 12 more PUD employees will be needed in the hydroengineering project.