Energy Resource Acquisition

Energy Resource Acquisition

Puget Sound Energy must acquire a large amount of new energy supply in coming years – and develop new energy-delivery infrastructure as well – to meet its customers' steadily growing energy needs. The utility has developed and implemented a well-researched strategy designed to fully meet customers' long-term energy demands and keep their rates stable.

One of the strategy's core tenets, based on the findings of PSE's Least Cost Plan, is to procure enough energy supplies under long-term arrangements to meet 100 percent of PSE customers' needs.

To that end, PSE is actively exploring the development or purchase of additional power-generating resources. Renewable resources, such as wind power, are an integral part of this long-term strategy; the company is committed to meeting up to 10 percent of its customers' total electricity needs with renewable energy.

Expanded energy-conservation services are another key part of PSE's plan for meeting customers' long-term energy demands. The company's energy-efficiency programs are expected to help customers save nearly 280 average-megawatts of electricity by 2013 – enough power to serve about 200,000 households.