Wind 1%
Unspecified 4%
Hydropower 84%
Under the fuel mix disclosure law, RCW 19.29A, utilities are required to report the sources of power used to serve their customers. PenLight is proud to report that 84% of wholesale electricity purchased in 2022 comes from hydropower. Additionally, 11% of the electricity comes from the Columbia Generating Station, a nuclear power plant in south-central Washington. Wind power, a qualifying renewable energy source under the Washington State Energy Independence Act (Initiative 937), makes up 1% of the fuel mix.
The 2022 report further reflects that only 4% of our power comes from BPA’s market purchases and is categorized as “Unspecified” because the specific source of power is not identified. “Unspecified” sources denote market purchases made by BPA to balance our energy load when our demand changes or our renewable resources require instantaneous adjustment. These purchases can come from any source available — wind, hydro, solar, or thermal power plant — depending on what is available at that given moment.