- Spring 2017 project update
Where we stand today
The Eastside is outgrowing the backbone of the area's electric grid. Energize Eastside will build a new substation and upgrade approximately 18 miles of existing transmission lines from Renton to Redmond in the same transmission line corridor that has served Eastside communities for more than 80 years. Combined with continued aggressive electric conservation, Energize Eastside will keep the lights on in our communities for years to come.
Get involved!
You will have an opportunity to comment on the Phase 2 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) once it is published later this spring. The Phase 2 Draft EIS will consider the potential impacts and mitigation associated with the project. For more details on the Cities’ EIS and comment opportunities, visit EnergizeEastsideEIS.org.
Upcoming fieldwork surveys
This year, Energize Eastside project members are conducting additional fieldwork surveys to refine our design and inform future permit submittals. You may see crews visiting properties along the existing corridor and conducting utility and archaeological resource surveys. In addition, we're at a point where we can begin developing property-specific landscaping and tree replacement plans with property owners. We'll be reaching out to affected property owners about these efforts.
We're not all old enough to remember ...
FIFTY YEARS! That’s how long it’s been since we last did a major upgrade of the backbone of the Eastside’s electric grid. During that span, the Eastside’s population has grown eight-fold, leading Northwest companies have been launched in our communities, and the need for electricity to power our homes and economy has grown. We’ve also learned how to conserve energy and become increasingly more energy efficient. But it’s not enough. We need Energize Eastside now.
Electricity is not just a convenience ...
... it's a necessity. It helps us live comfortably in our homes year-round, regardless of the weather. Safe and reliable electricity is essential for businesses, hospitals, schools, industry and homes. Electricity arrives at its destination at almost the same moment it is produced. When you flip a switch, the electric power is there for your use.
Behind the scenes, PSE employees are hard at work planning, operating and maintaining the complex electric transmission grid so it can reliably provide power to the homes and businesses that need it. Electric system reliability contributes to our quality of life and economic wellbeing, and is essential for economic growth.
Is demand for energy really growing?
Yes! On the Eastside, customer electric power demand – the amount of energy used at one moment – has been growing dramatically in recent years. We see demand peaks daily, especially on winter evenings when customers get home, turn on their appliances and plug in their electronics, and during the summer when more customers use air conditioning. And we have more customers than ever before driving those demand peaks. Energize Eastside will ensure the electric grid can handle this growth into the future.
Four questions for the Energize Eastside project team
Read the full newsletter, including four questions with the project team's answers to learn more about improving reliability, safety, community involvement and more!