(Source: Business Wire)
Puget Sound Energy announced today that the utility's energy efficiency programs and customers' conservation actions taken in 2008 will save customers nearly $30 million annually on their energy bills, in addition to the $45 million in rebates, grants and discounts customers already received on energy-saving equipment. These actions taken by customers will also reduce their total carbon footprint by more than 450 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually, or the same as taking 38,000 cars off the road.
"Our success in 2008 can be attributed to our customers and employees. Together, we achieved a remarkable level of energy savings -- the highest electricity and natural gas savings ever achieved by Puget Sound Energy," said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services for PSE. "PSE is committed to helping our customers reduce energy costs in this challenging economy and helping to combat climate change."
Exceeding savings targets by more than 26 percent for electricity and 46 percent for natural gas -- all-time record highs for the utility, PSE residential and business customers saved enough electricity in 2008 to power 23,000 homes or a community the size of Bainbridge Island, Wash., and enough natural gas in a year to serve more than 4,000 homes or the equivalent of the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle.
Based on recent industry studies, PSE estimates that its investments in conservation programs resulted in 450 new jobs throughout Western Washington. While other local employers were forced to cut jobs, the increased customer interest in energy efficiency has generated new staff positions at the utility and the local contractors and distributors who support its programs.
"PSE demonstrates regional leadership and sets a standard for other utilities," said Tom Eckman, conservation manager for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in Portland, Ore. "Not only did PSE clearly exceed its own 2008 targets for energy conservation, PSE's savings for the year were a third higher than its share of the region's target."
PSE customers saved a combined 274 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 3.7 million therms of natural gas through the 2008 conservation program efforts. Electric savings for 2008 beat the utility's previous record by 8 percent, and natural gas savings were similarly record breaking at more than 30 percent over 2007 savings.
