In 2019, the Clean Energy Transformation Act was signed into Washington state law and directed utilities around the state to plan for a carbon-free future.
The main components of the new law strive to make communities healthier, stimulate economic growth and create employment opportunities, while steadily reducing emissions. It requires Washington utilities to provide greenhouse gas-neutral electricity by 2030 and greenhouse gas-free electricity by 2045, with four-year plans along the way that detail how we plan to meet those goals.
Clark Public Utilities is committed to meeting its obligations under the new law while continuing to prioritize delivering affordable energy and safe, reliable service.
Today, the utility has developed its first plan to meet the 2030 greenhouse gas neutral mandate ahead of schedule.
The first Clark Public Utilities Clean Energy Implementation Plan is for the years 2022 through 2025. It was adopted by the Board of Commissioners in December and delivered to the Washington Department of Commerce on Jan. 1.
The four-year plan requires electric utilities to detail their nonemitting resource portfolio, develop energy conservation and demand response targets, and outline commitments to ensuring an equitable transition to the clean energy future for all utility customers.
“Developing our plan involved nearly every department within the utility and incorporated feedback from our customers that we received during the public comment period,” said Clark Public Utilities Energy Resources Program Manager Matt Babbitts. “We heard from customers through our comment portal, in public meetings and worked with more than 30 community organizations that specialize in serving households in need of assistance. Our future programs will integrate their valuable insights and helped shape our plans.”
To exceed the state’s 2030 greenhouse gas-neutral mandates, Clark Public Utilities plans to purchase additional hydroelectricity that will offset energy currently produced by the natural gas-fueled River Road Generating Plant. At the same time, significant upgrades and investments are being made at the plant to reduce its emissions, maximize its operational efficiency and give greater flexibility to its energy production capabilities. These investments will allow the utility to reduce generation when there is an oversupply of renewables and nonemitting generation in the region while still providing what’s needed to cover peak summer and winter loads and.
An additional requirement of the law mandates utilities to identify and benchmark all energy assistance programs. Going forward, that information will help determine where more effort and programs are needed to offset energy burden in Clark County. Each program’s performance will be closely monitored and adjusted as needed to assist customers in difficult times and ensure all are equitably benefitting from the green energy transition.
“Now that the CEIP has been adopted by our commissioners and submitted to state officials, the real work of turning our plan to action begins,” Babbitts said. “As a staff we’re excited to continue developing targeted energy conservation and renewable energy programs that will reduce the number of our customers who are energy burdened and benefit all customers.”
The planned programs and investments will offer both short- and long-term public health and environmental benefits while also making real the utility’s commitments to continued energy security and resiliency.
As required by the state, the Clark Public Utilities Clean Energy Implementation Plan is publicly available in a summary report and an Excel document, and available on the utility website. There is also a plan factsheet (also available in Spanish and Russian) and a record of submitted comments, questions and responses available online. To view them and learn more about the plan, visit clarkpublicutilities.com/CEIP.
The information is organized to explain the purpose of the plan and provide informational links related to the act, and relevant long-term energy plans drafted by Clark Public Utilities. As a nonprofit, public utility district, providing at-cost electric service, Clark Public Utilities is committed to ensuring an equitable distribution of the energy and non-energy benefits that a diversified and greener energy portfolio will provide.
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 98688
