City Now Receiving Renewable Energy From Skookumchuck Wind Facility

Published on December 02, 2020

Huge wind turbines at PSE wind facility

Media Contact:
Joy Johnston
Interim Communications Program Manager
jjohnston@kirklandwa.gov
425-979-6562

KIRKLAND, Wash. – On December 1, 2020, Puget Sound Energy announced that its Green Direct customers, including the City of Kirkland, are now receiving renewable energy from the largest western Washington wind project, Skookumchuck Wind Facility. This means that all facilities owned by the City of Kirkland such as buildings, lift stations, and park facilities are now powered by clean, renewable energy not derived from fossil fuels.

The Green Direct program is a ground-breaking initiative designed to provide PSE corporate and governmental customers the ability to purchase 100 percent of their energy from a dedicated, local, renewable energy resource, while providing them with a stable, cost efficient solution. By adding more renewables to the City of Kirkland’s portfolio, Green Direct also furthers the City’s deep decarbonization goals.

“We are excited to be part of this partnership,” said Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet. “The Green Direct program is one of the keys to meeting Kirkland’s carbon reduction goals.”

The Skookumchuck Wind Facility is located on Weyerhaeuser timber land, in Lewis and Thurston counties, and is the largest wind project in Western Washington. Consisting of 38 wind turbines, it can generate up to 137 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of nearly 30,000 Washington homes. The project, owned by Southern Power, is the first wind project in the state to be located on working forest land.

“Our customers have been asking for clean energy, and we have taken those requests to heart and created programs like Green Direct,” said PSE President and CEO Mary Kipp. “I’m proud that we were able to work in partnership with our customers to structure an industry-leading renewable energy program that meets their needs.”

City of Kirkland’s participation in the Green Direct Program followed careful analysis of the costs and benefits of program and is alignment with the City’s Sustainability Master Plan, which will be considered for adoption on December 8, 2020. More information about the Sustainability Master Plan can be found on the City of Kirkland website.

For more information about PSE’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, visit www.pse.com/TOGETHER.

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