PSE Newsroom
PSE’s Green Power Program Wins National Award
Western Washington Program Named 2009 Green Power Utility Provider of the Year by Green Power Leadership Awards
BELLEVUE, Wash., September 15, 2009 - With more than 24,000 residential and business participants throughout Western Washington, Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power Program this week was named Utility Green Power Provider of the Year by the 2009 Green Power Leadership Awards. The awards, co-sponsored by Center for Resource Solutions, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, serve to recognize the leading actions of organizations, programs, and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power sources.
PSE representatives accepted the award for Utility Green Power Provider of the Year at the Green Power Leadership Awards ceremony in Atlanta on Sept. 14, 2009.
“PSE’s Green Power Program has worked hard to spread the word to both residential and commercial electric customers of the benefits of supporting renewable energy development through their participation,” said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services for PSE. “It’s gratifying to see PSE’s efforts rewarded in a national forum.”
This is the utility’s first time to receive the distinctive Utility Green Power Provider of the Year Award, but PSE has been honored by the Green Power Leadership Awards before. In 2007, PSE received a Green Power Beacon Award for its Western Washington Green Power Campaign with Seattle City Light, Snohomish PUD, Tacoma PUD, and BELO and was an integral partner in the City of Bellingham’s Green Power Challenge, which won the city its own EPA honors that same year, and again in 2008. Since 2004, PSE’s Green Power Program has consistently been recognized as one of the top 10 in the country by National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Offered to PSE electric customers, the Green Power Program’s voluntary participants agree to pay an additional charge on their monthly bill to support the development of new renewable energy projects including wind, biomass and solar facilities in the Pacific Northwest, separate from and in addition to the wind and solar facilities that PSE builds, owns and operates as part of its standard electric service.
With two participation options, customers can purchase 100 percent green power or buy a specific amount each month, with a minimum purchase of $4 per month for 320 kilowatt hours (kWh). After an initial investment, additional green power can be bought in increments of $2 for 160 kWh. The additional payment ensures that enough energy from renewable sources is available in the grid to match Green Power participants’ level of commitment. An energy efficient household that uses 800 kWh per month can pay as little as $10 per month to go completely green.
In 2008, PSE sold 291,167 megawatt hours (MWh) to 21,509 customers, including 20,619 residential and 890 business and government customers. The 2008 figures continue to show the program’s strong growth, with energy sales up from 246,000 MWh to 20,457 customers in 2007 and 131,000 MWh to 17,426 customers in 2006.
PSE has an aggressive target to have 5 percent of its more than 1 million electric customers be Green Power customers within the next five years, as compared to 2 percent currently. The utility is currently part of a Green Power Program Challenge on Whidbey Island.
PSE customers wishing to sign-up for Green Power can do so at PSE.com or by calling a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482.
About Puget Sound Energy
Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and nearly 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its growing customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy conservation, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.
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Puget Sound Energy
Media Contact:
Andy
Wappler, 1-888-831-7250