Clark Public Utilities is building a roadmap to a clean energy future and we’re asking customers to help us draft the best version possible.
In 2019, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law the Clean Energy Transformation Act, which commits Washington utilities to providing greenhouse gas-neutral electricity by 2030 and greenhouse gas-free electricity by 2045. The overarching goal of the law is to make communities healthier, stimulate economic growth and create employment opportunities, while steadily reducing emissions.
One of the most significant elements of the act for all publicly owned utilities and their customers is the Clean Energy Implementation Plan.
The plan is a four-year roadmap to guide how utilities work toward the goals of the Clean Energy Transformation Act while maintaining affordable rates and reliable service.
Clark Public Utilities’ first plan addresses 2022 – 2025. It defines how the utility will act, invest and programmatically serve customers during that period. A new plan will be developed every four years and will be an important part of our energy and resource planning efforts.
Additionally, the plan will be a tool used to define and demonstrate how customers are benefiting from the transition to clean energy through:
- An equitable distribution of the energy and nonenergy benefits and reduction of burdens to vulnerable communities
- The short- and long-term public health and environmental benefits of reducing emissions
- Our commitment to continued energy security and resiliency
The plan is closely tied to the utility’s Integrated Resources Plan (a long-term energy procurement and distribution plan) and identifies specific data related to key topics, including nonemitting resource targets, energy conservation targets and demand response targets.
Utility staff has produced a draft plan, now we’re asking our customers to share their thoughts and feedback.
“We’re looking forward to taking community feedback on our plan, both as an opportunity to gain important insights we may have overlooked, but also as an opportunity to live our values of transparency and public participation,” said Energy Resources Program Manager Matt Babbitts. “We believe that the incorporation of many perspectives will build a better plan, guide us to a brighter future and demonstrate to our customers that we’re hearing what they have to say.”
As required by the state, the draft plan is offered in a summary report and an Excel document. All of those items are available for the public, but many will likely find the summary narrative the easiest to understand. There is also a factsheet (also available in Spanish and Russian) and a comment forum available on our website, visit clarkpublicutilities.com/CEIP. The webpage is organized to explain why we’re creating the plan, informational links to the law mandating the plan’s creation, relevant long-term energy plans drafted by Clark Public Utilities, as well as a list of important dates regarding the plan approval process.
The public comment period ends Dec. 3. Customers can enter their comments directly on the webpage, email them to CEIP@clarkpud.com, or attend an upcoming commissioner meeting. Any comments received after the plan is adopted will be considered for future plans and plan updates.
Utility commissioners are expected to review and approve a final version of the plan in December. Utility staff will submit a completed and adopted Clean Energy Implementation Plan to the Washington State Department of Commerce by January 1, 2022.
Clark Public Utilities will track results of the public participation process and consider ways to improve it during future planning.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
