Mason County Minute — Infrastructure/Services Beat — April 16, 2026
Two major utility infrastructure projects are shaping connectivity and electrical capacity across Mason County this spring. Here’s what residents need to know.
Belfair Electrical Capacity Infrastructure Project — PUD 3 Multi-Phase Upgrade
Mason County PUD 3 (PUD No. 3) continues its multi-phase Belfair Electrical Capacity Infrastructure Project, a critical investment in the county’s electrical grid serving the growing Belfair corridor.
Phase 1 — a new switching station — is currently under construction, with completion targeted for summer 2026. Phase 2, which upgraded the Belfair Substation transformer, was completed in July 2025.
Still ahead: Phase 3 will install a 3.6-mile 115 kV transmission line, and Phase 4 will construct a new high-capacity substation near the Belfair Water Tower to support the Log Yard Road and WSDOT Belfair Freight Corridor development.
The project positions Belfair for continued residential and commercial growth while improving grid reliability across the PUD 3 service territory.
Sources: pud3.org, kilmer.house.gov, publicpower.org
Hood Canal Communications HFC Network Upgrade
Hood Canal Communications (HCC) launched major upgrades to their Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) network in January 2026, improving broadband service for cable modem customers across Union, Hoodsport, and surrounding Hood Canal communities.
The HFC upgrade is part of HCC’s broader fiber expansion effort targeting underserved parts of Mason County. Residents in the affected service areas can expect improved internet speeds and network reliability as the work progresses through 2026.
Sources: hcc.net, hcc.net/projects
The Mason County Minute is a daily local news digest covering government, business, infrastructure, outdoors, and community across Mason County, Washington. Published by Tygart Media.
Leave a Reply