Puget Sound Energy gathers political, environmental and community representatives for climate advisory group

To gather recommendations for its clean energy transition, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) last week formed an advisory group of political, environmental, and community leaders from the regional and state levels.

It plans to tap this counsel as it seeks to go further than net zero carbon emissions by 2045. In this way, these advisors – including former governor, labor and industry leadership, among others – will help the company reduce emissions from its electric and gas operations and electric supply. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve net zero by 2030 and push to a fully carbon-free electric supply by 2045. PSE also hopes to reach net zero carbon emissions for its natural gas sales within the same timeframe.

As the advisory group works, PSE will also undertake a larger outreach to customers and industry to identify programs and products that could benefit from more cost-effective carbon reduction efforts across economic sectors and the Washington region.

“When we committed to taking aggressive steps to address climate change, we knew it wasn’t an issue we could tackle on our own,” Mary Kipp, PSE president and CEO, said. “By partnering with a diverse group of leaders from our community, we believe we have the best chance of reaching our aspirational goals without leaving anyone behind.”

Given the company’s Washington roots, it has turned to former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire to chair the advisory group. Gregoire has a particular horse in the race given her political past, wherein she was responsible for the executive order that set up Washington’s first carbon emissions reduction goals, as well as the formation of the Pacific Coast Collaborative of West Coast states and the Canadian province of British Columbia, as a regional cooperative to combat climate change.

“Climate change is a global crisis, but we are experiencing the effects right here in Washington state with vanishing snowpack, devastating wildfires, and catastrophic weather events,” Gregoire said.

For the committee, Gregoire will oversee a collection of more than 20 advisors. This effort will be facilitated by the William D. Ruckleshaus Center, a joint effort by the University of Washington and Washington State University.