BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov 21, 2006 -- BUSINESS WIRE

 

Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the first and so far the only Northwest utility to build and operate wind farms, is now giving its customers who generate clean, renewable power the opportunity to become "green energy" partners by providing them with annual incentive payments for all the electricity they produce.

"Washington state's recent passage of Initiative 937 underscores that fact that our customers are dedicated to the use of clean energy," said Cal Shirley, PSE vice president of Energy Efficiency Services. "PSE is pleased to offer them the opportunity to be involved in this new green partnership as well as our other energy efficiency programs."

Under PSE's new Renewable Energy Advantage Program (REAP), customers who generate their own electricity with solar, wind or anaerobic-digester systems can receive 15 to 54 cents from PSE for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) their systems generate up to a limit of $2,000 annually beginning this year. The payments are in addition to PSE's net-metering benefits and the consumer rebates PSE offers on the installation of solar-power equipment.

Under PSE's existing net-metering program, customers can generate their own power while retaining access to utility-supplied power during times of heavy usage. The customer's system feeds excess power to the PSE grid for distribution to other consumers, and the customer is billed only for the net amount of electricity drawn from the utility.

"PSE is proud to claim over 100 customers in our net-metered program, more than any other utility in the state," said Shirley.

PSE's REAP program is the result of a recently implemented Washington law to provide financial incentives to encourage the in-state manufacture and installation of renewable energy systems. Customers who install renewable energy systems using components manufactured in Washington may boost their earnings to as much as 54 cents per kWh.

The program's annual payments are available through 2014 both to customers with existing systems and to customers who install new systems. During the initial transition period of the program, PSE will retroactively pay program participants for electricity generated from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, if they apply by Nov. 30, 2006.

To qualify for the program, customers need to have an interconnection agreement with PSE. Local governments, nonprofit organizations, school districts, and businesses also are eligible for the program. For more information, please visit the www.pse.com Web site or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482.

About Puget Sound Energy

Washington state's oldest and largest energy utility, with a 6,000-square-mile service area stretching across 11 counties, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), the utility subsidiary of Puget Energy (NYSE:PSD), serves more than 1 million electric customers and 700,000 natural gas customers in western Washington. PSE meets the energy needs of its growing customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, low-cost procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure.

SOURCE: Puget Sound Energy

News Provided By