HERMISTON — Umatilla Electric Cooperative is moving its lobby while it renovates and expands its office at 750 W. Elm Ave., Hermiston.

UEC on its website announced it is set to close the lobby in mid-March and move it to a modular building on the southeast corner of the UEC property, near the intersection of Elm Avenue and First Place. The change will be temporary.

The modular building will have payment stations, wheelchair access and a drive-thru for payment convenience. The parking lot and building will not be accessible for members through the duration of construction. UEC urged people at the site to be careful and watch for crews working.

Umatilla Electric reported it will announce specific dates and details for the transition following the delivery of the modular building.

“The transition should not disrupt payment service as the new location will house the same staff and offer the same services for both Umatilla Electric members and Hermiston Energy Services customers,” according to UEC.

UEC reported it has reached capacity for staff at the Elm Avenue location, and now space in the building is tight. UEC in the early 1980s had 60 employees and approximately 8,500 meters on its system. Today, it has more than 100 employees and more than 16,000 meters on its system.

“We added 30 employees to our workforce in 2023 alone,” according to UEC. “Looking ahead, we expect to add an additional 75 employees over the next 10 years as our membership and community continue to grow.”

To support continued growth, the UEC Board of Directors reviewed and considered options for adding staff capacity.

“Our team has worked carefully to utilize as much of the existing facility as possible, creating an additional 25% square footage and increasing space for UEC employees,” UEC reported.

Umatilla Electric expects construction to begin in the spring and take 18-24 months.

“With this timeline,” according to UEC, “we expect our updated building to be open for business by the end of 2025.”

Visit UEC’s project page at umatillaelectric.com/about-us/projects for more information.