EPHRATA - Grant County PUD officials are seeking public comment on their proposed 2013 budget, which they hope to adopt by next month.

The PUD proposed budget totals $312.4 million according to agency documents.

Major PUD initiatives for 2013 include projects under the Priest Rapids Project license implementation. Fish protection and survival studies, recreation area improvements and cultural resource protection programs will be focused on next year.

In addition, PUD will fund turbine and generator rehabilitation. All units at Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams are scheduled for upgrades, according to PUD presentation materials.

The district will also focus on its Columbia to Rocky Ford transmission line.

The transmission line will supply capacity to country loads and increase system reliability and voltage stability. The project is estimated to be completed in 2013.

PUD also plans to make improvements to its electric system, including upgrades to distribution and transmission lines as well as substation upgrades. The Babcock, Peninsula and South Ephrata substations are on the list of PUD's planned upgrades.

The 2013 budget also includes $5 million allocated for a fiber system build out.

Next year's proposed budget also includes rate increases, in order to meet PUD's targeted eight percent revenue increase previously adopted by PUD commissioners.

For residential ratepayers, the increase is a 10 percent change from this year's rates in basic per day charges.

In 2012, residential ratepayers were assessed a basic charge of 40 cents. Next year, the proposed budget will bring the basic charge to 44 cents.

A 5.6 percent change for per kilowatt hour energy charges will also occur under the proposed budget.

Increases for irrigation, industrial and other classes of ratepayers are also included in the proposed budget.

The rate increase is projected to add about $10.9 million in additional revenue for the power agency in 2013. The extra revenue is needed to ensure financial health for the PUD in the coming years.

Rates are expected to increase on Jan. 1, according to PUD documents. Three meetings to discuss the proposed budget with the public will be held this month, and PUD staff and commissioners will be present.

The first meeting will be held on at 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at PUD headquarters located at 30 C St. SW in Ephrata. Later that evening, PUD's second meeting will be held in Moses Lake at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center council chambers located at 401 S. Balsam St.

The third budget meeting is held at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Quincy Community Center at 115 F St. SW. Copies of the proposed budget can be found at local PUD offices and on the agency's website at www.gcpud.org.