State regulators approve Avista’s clean energy plan

State regulators have approved a plan filed by Avista Utilities that outlines its goals and progress toward clean energy through 2025.

The Spokane-based subsidiary of Avista Corp. filed the Clean Energy Implementation Plan, or CEIP, in October with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

The plan, required by the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, outlines the utility’s actions in transitioning to clean energy in the next three years.

The UTC approved the plan last week, according to a company release.

The state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act requires electric supplies to be greenhouse-gas neutral by 2030 and generated from zero-carbon resources by 2045.

“This plan builds upon our longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability,” Jason Thackston, Avista’s senior vice president of energy resources, said in a statement.

“Our own clean energy goals and those set forth in CETA are ambitious, but we are committed to finding a path to get there in a way that balances reliability and affordability.”

In the plan, Avista indicated it will serve 40% of its customers in the state with renewable energy starting this year.

It will increase that number to 65% by the end of 2025.

Avista intends to reduce customer load by 2%, or 204,305 megawatt hours, over the next four years through incentives and programs to lower energy use without impacting customers.

Avista will also invest $5 million annually in projects, programs and initiatives to benefit customers in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

Avista is holding a virtual public meeting Thursday at 5 p.m. to discuss the approved CEIP. A link to the meeting can be found at: myavista.com/CETA.