El Paso Electric 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report highlights energy efficiency programs, diversification efforts

In its 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report released this week, El Paso Electric (EPE) showcased a slew of sustainability initiatives and their effects, from moves to renewable energy, to energy efficiency and charitable efforts.

The company has committed to reducing its per megawatt carbon footprint by 25 percent below 2015 levels within five years, and by 40 percent by 2035. As part of this, EPE intends to expand into utility scale solar, battery storage, and more efficient natural gas resources by 2023, and to gradually electrify its vehicle fleet, among other changes.

Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pointed to EPE as an ENERGY STAR market leader for its energy efficient construction efforts, which yielded 400 new ENERGY STAR certified homes. Energy efficiency programs within the company also saved 46,794 MWh of energy and avoided more than 26,000 short tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, while conserving more than 22 million gallons of water.

“At EPE, operating sustainably means protecting our environment, supporting our communities, engaging our employees, and serving our customers while maintaining focus on long-term carbon reduction goals,” EPE Director of Sustainability Jessica Christianson said. “EPE has been a leader in low carbon generation and must remain so moving forward. We began 2019 by implementing plans to expand our renewable energy portfolio, which is outlined in our 2019 Sustainability Report along with other highlights.”

The report stems from EPE’s membership in the Edison Electric Institute, for which the company voluntarily reports its Environmental, Social and Governance metrics. By asking this of its members, EEI attempts to keep provided information consistent across the utility industry.