Washington

High-voltage substation construction and transformer work across Washington. Here is the grid ESS operates in.

How Washington makes its power

Washington generates most of its electricity from hydropower, which supplies roughly 60 percent of in-state generation and makes the state the largest hydroelectric producer in the country. Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River is the largest power plant in the United States by capacity, and the Columbia Generating Station near Richland is the state's only nuclear plant. Natural gas provides about 15 percent of generation, with wind, nuclear, and a small and declining share of coal accounting for most of the remainder.

Grid challenges

Hydropower output varies year to year with snowpack and drought conditions in the Columbia River Basin, which affects available supply. Under the Clean Energy Transformation Act, utilities must eliminate coal by the end of 2025 and reach 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045, requiring new renewables, storage, and transmission to replace baseload generation. Rapid load growth from data centers has pushed demand forecasts well above earlier projections, adding pressure to expand and modernize the grid.

Major utilities and grid operators

  • Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
  • Avista
  • PacifiCorp / Pacific Power
  • Seattle City Light
  • Tacoma Power
  • Snohomish and other county PUDs
  • Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
  • WECC / Western Interconnection

Sources

Substation work in Washington?

Tell us the voltage class, the site, and the timeline. ESS mobilizes across the West.

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