Puget Sound Energy lays out plans to achieve clean electricity
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is looking to expand its use of clean energy, as laid out in its Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP), which it filed with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC).
PSE’s implementation plan lays out a course of action for clean electricity programs and investments for 2022-2025. The goals are in accordance with those established by Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).
The plan will enable PSE to achieve nearly 60 percent clean electricity by end of 2025. That will place it well on its way to meeting its goals of net zero carbon emissions for all PSE operations and electric supply by 2030 and 100 percent carbon-free electric supply by 2045.
“While we know we don’t have all answers to solve climate change today, we’re excited for this positive step forward,” PSE President and CEO Mary Kipp said. “This plan is the company’s path forward for balancing our clean energy goals with customer expectations of uncompromised reliability, safety, and affordability.”
Among the strategies in the plan, PSE is looking to reduce nonrenewable energy sources from the electricity grid by the end of 2025 and ramp up clean electricity resources, like large-scale wind and local solar energy projects. Further, it sets new direction for PSE’s local rooftop and ground solar and battery programs, as well as incentives to reduce energy use during peak periods. In addition, it looks to provide customers with more opportunities to improve their energy efficiency.
Also, it seeks to ensure that the benefits of the clean energy transition are distributed equitably. To facilitate this commitment, PSE created the Equity Advisory Group (EAG), a diverse group of community leaders from community-based organizations charged with ensuring that all customers and communities have access to and benefit from the transition to a clean energy future.
“I believe that we can be a model for regions around the world on what it means to have a clean energy future,” Kipp said. “That outlook includes frontline community values and priorities to achieve a just and equitable clean energy future.”
PSE has opened a public comment period to discuss the plan from Oct. 18 through Nov. 12. The public feedback will be used to improve the final plan, which gets submitted to the UTC on Dec. 17.
