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Clallam County Public Utility District commissioners approved a deal to get electricity from the Port Townsend Paper mill Monday.
The move extends a short-term arrangement the PUD had been operating under in April. The mill generates electricity with steam from its paper production.
If market power prices remain high the PUD estimates it could save $70,000 to $200,000 a month under the deal. The power will replace a two megawatt market rate contract with Portland General Electric, which was threatening to cost the utility $4 million more than it budgeted this year.
The PUD has been reselling the more expensive PGE electricity.