Puget Sound Energy submits two requests for energy proposals in Washington

13 October 2009

Washington’s oldest energy utility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), submitted two preliminary solicitations to state regulators for proposals to enhance the utility’s energy efficiency programmes and increase its power supplies.

The two draft requests for proposals, filed with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, were submitted to meet the energy needs of Western Washington, which is predicted to add one million more residents over the next 20 years. PSE’s recently updated Integrated Resource Plan estimates that the utility will need nearly 1,100MW of new electricity supply by 2016 to meet customers’ peak demand.

The company’s executive vice president, Kimberly Harris, said, ‘The current economic slump has only temporarily softened the demand for energy.’ She added, ‘Long term, we expect population growth and economic growth to substantially increase our region’s energy requirements. And for PSE, the most cost-effective, environmentally responsible way to meet this need is with energy efficiency, renewable power, and clean-burning natural gas-fired generation.’

The first of PSE’s two requests seeks to enhance its programmes for helping customers use less energy. The draft energy-efficiency request for proposal will invite firms to offer services that complement or improve upon PSE’s existing energy-saving programs. The request for proposal for new power supplies will ask outside power producers, marketers, and power-plant developers to help PSE procure approximately 1,000MW of new electricity resources by 2016.

PSE serves more than one million electric customers in 11 counties and has obtained more than 1,600MW of long-term power resources over the past four years, much of which was gained through request for proposal processes. The acquisitions include PSE’s development of large wind power facilities in Central Washington and Southeast Washington, the purchase of three natural gas-fired power plants in the state, and a long-term hydropower-purchase contract with the Chelan County Public Utility District.

Copyright © 2009 NewNet

Tags: energy efficiency

This story was published on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 12:19 pm and is filed under North America, companies, energy efficiency. You can follow any responses to article entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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