The investor-owned utility, which serves 358,000 electricity customers, mainly in eastern Washington, is acquiring renewable energy to comply with the state’s renewable portfolio standard. Avista and other utilities in the state must serve 3% of their loads with renewable energy or renewable energy credits by 1 January, increasing to 15% by 2020.
The power purchase agreement with Palouse Wind will provide the utility with an average of 40MW for a 30-year term beginning in 2012, although the utility expects to use energy from Palouse Wind to satisfy its 2016 requirements.
That
