Puget Sound Energy announces preferred route for Energize Eastside

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has announced a preferred route for the Energize Eastside project. The new route option will undergo further analysis during Phase 2 of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. Called Willow 2, PSE says the route responds to community feedback by limiting pole heights and effects to Eastside neighborhoods and the environment.

March 21, 2016 7:42 pm

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has announced a preferred route for the Energize Eastside project. The new route option will undergo further analysis during Phase 2 of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.

Called Willow 2, PSE says the route responds to community feedback by limiting pole heights and effects to Eastside neighborhoods and the environment.

“The community has spoken and we’ve listened,” said Dan Koch, PSE’s director of Electric Operations.

PSE has heard from nearly 2,000 community members since launching Energize Eastside in December 2013 – including through the project’s Community Advisory Group process, at open houses, and comments submitted to the project.

“It’s our responsibility to keep the lights on for our customers, and we’re committed to limiting impacts to the community as much as we can. Our preferred route meets PSE’s need to provide reliable power on the Eastside, is safer than what exists in the corridor today, and addresses customer concerns,” Koch said.

The deadline for submitting comments for the Phase 1 Draft EIS was on March 14, and in that process, PSE identified the preferred route. The route is similar to Willow, one of the two options recommended by the Community Advisory Group in December 2014. The route primarily uses the existing corridor and a new segment in the Factoria area. In most instances, this route option entails removing four existing poles in the corridor and replacing them with one pole, or at most two poles. Most of the new poles will be built approximately in the same place as the existing poles. PSE will replace existing poles with either a single pole, typically at 100 feet in height, or two poles, generally at 85 feet with some as low as 65 feet in height. Based on what PSE knows today, the preferred route avoids condemnation of homes.

PSE is also studying other route options in the Factoria area, specifically Willow and Oak – advisory group recommendations – and another new route option called Oak 2. PSE says that all four of these routes solve the Eastside’s electrical problem and address community concerns. Learn more about the proposed route options and view route maps and photo simulations at PSE.com/energizeeastside.