Washington Utility Signs Deal to Power 70,000 Homes with Wind

Washington's largest utility just signed a deal that will bring clean energy to 70,000 homes, pushing the state closer to its goal of carbon-free electricity by decade's end.

Puget Sound Energy announced Tuesday it's partnering with clean energy company Avangrid to tap into the Big Horn I wind farm in Klickitat County. The project will deliver nearly 200 megawatts of renewable power to the grid once upgrades are complete in fall 2028.

The wind farm has been spinning since 2006 across more than 14,000 acres near Goldendale, just north of the Columbia River. Avangrid will renovate the entire site to bring it into like-new condition and extend its useful life for years to come.

This partnership adds to PSE's growing clean energy portfolio, which already includes two Oregon wind projects and a solar farm in Washington. The utility has more than doubled its clean energy supply since 2019, jumping from 26% to 58% renewable sources today.

Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act requires all utilities to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from their power supplies by 2030. That means every electron flowing through the grid must come from wind, solar, nuclear, or other zero-emission sources.

PSE serves 1.2 million electricity customers across the state. The new wind contract will cover about 12% of what the company still needs to meet the 2030 deadline.

The Ripple Effect

Washington's clean energy push is creating jobs and investment across the state's rural communities. The Big Horn project alone spans thousands of acres in Klickitat County, bringing economic activity to an area east of the Cascades that's become a hub for renewable energy development.

Other utilities are watching closely as PSE navigates the challenges of going carbon-free. The company faces hurdles including surging electricity demand, permitting delays, and grid connection bottlenecks that slow down new renewable projects.

The transformation isn't cheap. Customer rates have risen as utilities invest billions in wind farms, solar arrays, and transmission infrastructure to replace fossil fuel plants.

But the investment is reshaping Washington's energy landscape. Every new wind turbine and solar panel moves the state closer to proving that large-scale clean energy isn't just possible but practical.

By 2030, millions of Washington residents will flip light switches powered entirely by emissions-free electricity, a milestone that seemed distant just a few years ago.

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