Benzinga | Apr 15, 2021 04:06PM EDT

Chelan PUD and Avista Partner on Clean, Hydropower Energy Contract

Avista and Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD) have finalized a contract for renewable hydropower from two PUD hydro projects on the Columbia River. The contract increases Avista's carbon-free resources in its energy portfolio, helping achieve the company's clean electricity goals and supporting Washington State's Clean Energy Transformation Act goals as well.

The "slice" contract provides Avista with 5% of the output from the PUD's Rock Island and Rocky Reach hydropower projects from 2024 through 2033. This contract complements an existing contract between Avista and the PUD, and it will mean 10% of the renewable hydropower output from the two PUD projects will supply Avista customers.

The contract is the result of Avista's 2020 Renewables Request for Proposals that solicited up to 300 MW of clean, existing or new, renewable resources. The request was aligned with Avista's 2020 Integrated Resource Plan which identified a need for new renewable energy.