Puget Sound Energy announcement.
Puget Sound Energy (“PSE”) is seeking a development partner in expanding its existing Lower Snake River (“LSR”) wind facilities located near Pomeroy, Washington. PSE’s request for proposal (“RFP”) is targeted at development entities with sophisticated expertise and experience in the development, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning of a wind generation facility.
Last year, PSE reopened planning efforts to expand LSR up to the limit of its current development rights and transmission capacity. PSE seeks to develop, fund, build, own (or co-own), and operate the project within the Lower Snake River wind resource areas. The expansion project would be limited to 640 MW due to existing land leases and easements and electrical interconnection agreements.
PSE filed the draft voluntary LSR expansion RFP with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (“WUTC”) on May 5, 2023, which includes the permitting, technical, operational, and submittal requirements for the project.
“This project will help PSE meet our 2030 clean energy target by utilizing existing development rights, infrastructure, land leases, and easements to produce reliable energy at the lowest reasonable cost for our customers,” said Ron Roberts, PSE’s vice president of energy supply. “This expansion is an exciting opportunity to partner with a clean energy developer and, when operational, this expansion will be an important step forward in achieving the targets laid out in Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act.”
PSE is committed to a procurement process that is accessible and fair for all parties. In order to achieve clean energy goals set forth by the company and state, PSE encourages the participation of bidders utilizing union labor and those representing tribal, minority, women, disabled, and veteran-owned businesses.
In January 2021, PSE set its aspirational “Beyond Net Zero Carbon” energy company goal. Through this initiative, PSE targets reduction of its own carbon emissions to net zero and goes beyond that by helping other sectors, including transportation, to reduce greenhouse gas emission across the state of Washington.
More information about PSE’s Lower Snake River RFP is available at: https://www.pse.com/en/pages/energy-supply/acquiring-energy/2023-Lower-Snake-River-Expansion.
