>>> SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER.
I'M ALEX PEDERSEN, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
GONZALEZ?
>> HERE.
>> HERBOLD?
MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN?
HERE.
GREAT.
SO WE HAVE A FORUM, IF THERE'S
NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
IS ADOPTED.
THIS WILL BE AN ELECTRIFYING
MEETING BECAUSE IT'S ALL SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT'S.
I WANT TO THANK THE WORKERS FROM
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT WHO HAVE BEEN
RESTORING POWER DURING THESE
RAINSTORMS.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE -- THEIR
OCCASIONAL OUTAGE, DOWNED TREES,
ET CETERA.
AND THOSE CREWS ARE OUT THERE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN THE
POURING RAIN FIXING THINGS FOR
ALL OF US.
AND SO JUST WANT TO HAVE A
SHOUT-OUT TO THEM.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE'S FORTUNATE
TO OPERATE TWO MAJOR UTILITY
ENTERPRISES, SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES AND SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
AND THIS ALSO KEEPS THE CITY
COUNCIL BUSY WITH A LARGE VOLUME
OF LEGISLATION, WHICH IS WHY
WE'RE HERE TODAY AS WE GET READY
FOR OUR FALL BUDGET SEASON TO
HANDLE SOME OF THIS BUSINESS
THAT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT'S BEEN
WORKING ON AND PRESENTING TO US
TODAY.
THE FIRST THREE ITEMS, THERE ARE
FIVE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, THE
FIRST THREE RELATE TO THE
ELECTRICATION OF THE
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE SECOND HALF OF THE AGENDA
CONCERNS TWO TECHNICAL ITEMS FOR
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO
OPEN UP THE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
I'LL ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE BE
PATIENT AS WE LEARN TO OPERATE
THIS NEW SYSTEM IN REALTIME AND
NAVIGATE THROUGH INEVITABLE
GROWING PAINS.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
FINE TUNE THIS PROCESS AND ADD
NEW FEATURES TO ALLOW DIFFERENT
WAYS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN
OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
IT REMAINS THE STRONG INTENT OF
THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE PUBLIC
COMMENT REGULARLY INCLUDED ON
MEETING AGENDAS.
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY
THESE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AT
ANY POINT IF WE DEEM THAT THE
SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED OR IT'S
UNSUITABLE FOR ALLOWING OUR
MEETINGS TO BE CONDUCTED
EFFICIENTLY AND IN A MANNER IN
WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO CONDUCT OUR
NECESSARY BUSINESS.
I'LL MODERATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
WE'LL HAVE IT UP TO 20 MINUTES,
AND EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN
TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'LL CALL ON TWO SPEAKERS AT A
TIME AND IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY'RE REGISTERED ON THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED TO
SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO, YOU CAN
SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF THIS
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BY GOING
TO SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
PUBLIC COMMENT LINKS ALSO LISTED
ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT OF YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S CUE THAT IT IS THEIR
TURN TO SPEAK.
THE SPEAKER MUST PRESS STAR SIX
TO BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX TO BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM YOU ARE
ADRESING.
AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO AN ITEM ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME.
ONCE YOU HEAR THE CHIME, WE ASK
THAT YOU WRAP UP YOUR COMMENT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED, THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE
NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU
PLEASE DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE
AND IF YOU PLAN TO FOLLOW THE
MEETING, PLEASE DO SO VIA THE
AWARD-WINNING SEATTLE CHANNEL,
OR USING THE OPTIONS ON THE
AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
OPEN.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
PERSON ON THE LIST, ALICE LOCK
HEART FOLLOWED BY LEAH.
GO AHEAD, ALICE.
>> GOOD MORNING, ALICE.
THIS IS AT LITS LOCKHART WITH
350 SEATTLE, AND WE WERE ASKED
BY A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO COMMENT
ON THE CITY LIGHT TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIC PLAN.
THE PLAN HAS GREAT ASPIRATIONS,
BUT LIKE MOST GOVERNMENTAL
CLIMATE CHANGE IT HAS NO SCOMARD
FAST TIMELINE AND NO COMMITMENT
TO TOTAL ELECTRIFICATION BY A
SPECIFIC DATE.
THAT'S, OF COURSE, A PROBLEM.
WE ARE ALL A LITTLE BUSY RIGHT
NOW, COUNCIL, AND 350 SEATTLE,
TRYING TO DEFUND SPD AND SAVE
TRANSIT AND HOUSING AND HUMAN
SERVICES, BUT CITY LIGHT CORE
COMPETENCY SHOULD BE ACHIEVING
ELECTRIFICATION.
IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF
BEFORE THE COUNCIL VOTE ON THIS
PLAN COUNCIL COULD ASK FOR IT TO
BE AMENDED SUCH THAT AT LEAST
THE NEXT STEP SECTION INCLUDES A
STRONG COMMITMENT WITH A
TIMELINE TO DEVELOP AN
ACTIONABLE, MEASURABLE,
TIME-BASED PLAN FOR REACHING
100% ELECTRIFICATION BY A DATE
COMMENSURATE WITH THE CLIMATE
CRISIS, SAY 2030.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS HAS A
TIMELINE, AND OUR GOVERNMENT
PLAN TO DEAL WITH IT REALLY
SHOULD ALSO HAVE TIMELINES.
AND THIS MIGHT BE IF THE COUNCIL
OPTED TO ASK FOR THAT THE FIRST
TIME I'VE SEEN SUCH A GOVERNMENT
PLAN WITH A TIMELINE AND METRICS
IN OUR REGION.
IT WOULD BE GREAT.
IT'S A -- AND YOU'RE THE ONES TO
DO IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEAH
FOLLOWED BY THOMAS ASHLEY.
GO AHEAD LEAH.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS LEAH, AND I'M THE
WASHINGTON TRANSPORTATION POLICY
MANAGER AT CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT'S STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN AND THE
ORDINANCE THAT WOULD GRANT CITY
LIGHT THE AUTHORITY TO OFFER
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGEST
SHARE OF SEATTLE'S GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS AND AIR POLLUTION.
AS THE WASHINGTON ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES MAP CLEARLY
SHOWS, THIS IS NOT EQUAL.
IT IS URGENT THAT WE POWER OUR
TRANSIT, FREIGHT AND OTHER
VEHICLES WITH CITY LIGHT'S 100%
CLEAN ELECTRICITY.
WITHOUT UTILITY SUPPORT, WE WILL
NOT BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY ELECTRIFY
AT THE RATE THAT'S NECESSARY TO
MEET SEATTLE'S CLIMATE GOALS.
CITY LIGHT AUTHORITY TO START
THIS WORK SO IT CAN LEGALLY MOVE
FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING A MORE
DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN,
INCLUDING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
BASED ON EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY
OUTREACH, PARTICULARLY WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES.
ANY AND ALL VEHICLES ON THE ROAD
NEED TO BE CLEAN.
THIS IS A STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION.
IT IS ALSO A BENEFIT TO ALL CITY
LIGHT'S CUSTOMERS AND WILL PUT
DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON RATES, NOT
TO MENTION THE POSITIVE IMPACT
ON THE AIR POLLUTION.
WE CANNOT DELAY CLIMATE ACTION
ANY LONGER.
THE MORE TIME WE TAKE TO CUT
EMISSIONS, THE HARDER IT WILL BE
TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO
COMMENT TODAY AND I URGE YOUR
SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LEAH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS THOMAS
ASHLEY FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL RUBY.
GO AHEAD, THOMAS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THOMAS ASHLEY SPEAKING IN STRONG
SUPPORT OF CITY LIGHT'S
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN TO
SUPPORT TRANSPORTATIONAL
ELECTRICATION.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF POLICY AND
MARKET DEVELOPMENT FOR GLEAN
LOTS, A LEADING ELECTRIC VEHICLE
CHARGING SOFTWARE AND SERVICES
COMPANY.
AND I JUST WANT TO COMMUNICATE
GREEN LOT LOTS' VERY STRONG
SUPPORT FOR THE STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN, WHICH, FRANKLY,
IS ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST AND
WELL BALANCED AND THOUGHT OUT
PLANS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS
SPACE.
WE URGE YOUR CHAIR PEDERSEN AND
THE COUNCILMEMBERS SUPPORT FOR
THE PLAN AND ALSO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE REALLY IS
NO BETTER TIME THUS FAR FOR
SEATTLE TO AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT
TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS
AND, INDEED, THE WORLD OF ITS
SUPPORT FOR A HEALTHIER
COMMUNITY AND A ZERO EMISSIONS
FUTURE, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THOMAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL RUBY
FOLLOWED BY RACHEL.
>> HI.
I AM MIKE RUBY, I LIVE IN
WALLINGFORD.
GERTRUDE STEIN FAMOUSLY SAID OF
OAKLAND, THERE IS NO THERE
THERE.
THAT SUMMARIZES WHAT I HAVE TO
SAY ABOUT THE CITY LIGHT
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN.
THERE IS NO PLAN THERE.
THIS PLAN DOES NOTHING TO
CONVINCE THE REEDER THAT CITY
LIGHT APPRECIATES THE SCOPE OF
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO MOVE FORWARD
THE ELECTRIFICATION OF SEATTLE'S
VEHICLE FLEET.
I URGE YOU TO SEND THIS PLAN
BACK TO CITY LIGHT FOR FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT AND MORE INFORMATION
THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT CITY
LIGHT UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT NEEDS
TO DO IN PROVIDING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND POWER
CAPACITY THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO
ACHIEVE SEATTLE'S CLIMATE GOALS.
THE PLAN IS SUMMARIZED IN TWO
PLACES -- TABLES ON PAGE 13 AND
14 AND PAGE 20.
THESE ARE ALL REASONABLE, HIGH
LEVEL PRIORITIES, AND THEY
OFFERED EXAMPLES THAT ARE
USEFUL.
THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.
THERE IS NOTHING THERE OR
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE PLAN THAT
DOCUMENTS THAT IT IS CONVINCING
THAT CITY LIGHT UNDERSTANDS THE
MAGNITUDE OF THE TASK BEFORE US
AND PREPARING TO MEET IT.
THE PRIORITIES AND EXAMPLES ARE
SUFFICIENTLY VAGUE, REALLY
NOTHING MORE THAN A CATALOG OF
GOOD IDEAS.
CITY LIGHT COULD DO VERY LITTLE
AND STILL BE ABLE TO SAY THEY
MET THE PLAN'S INTENT.
THE STUDY FROM ROCKY MOUNTAIN
INSTITUTE IN YOUR DOCKET
EVALUATES THREE SCENARIOS FOR
FUTURE PENETRATION OF ELECTRIC
VEHICLES IN THE SEATTLE MOBILE
MARKET.
ONLY THE AGGRESSIVE SCENARIO
WILL TAKE US TO THE GOAL OF 30%
OF THE AUTOMOBILE FLEET ELECTRIC
BY 2030.
THE PROPOSED PLAN DOES NOT GIVE
ANY INDICATION THAT CITY LIGHT
IS BUILDING THE CAPABILITY OR
CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THE
AGGRESSIVE SCENARIO LAID OUT IN
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE
STUDY.
IN ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION
ADOPTING THE PLAN, CITY LIGHT
HAS SENT YOU TWO ORDINANCES
SUPPORTING THE PLAN.
THESE ORDINANCES ARE NEEDED AND
SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE
COUNCIL TO PASS.
THE PLAN ITSELF NEEDS MORE WORK
AND THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE
CLEAR TO CITY LIGHT THAT IT
EXPECTS MORE.
IT IS CERTAINLY REASONABLE TO
ASK THEM TO COME BACK TO YOU IN
DECEMBER WITH A MORE USEFUL AND
CONVINCING DOCUMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. RUBY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL FOLLOWED
BY RACHEL.
GO AHEAD.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS RACHEL.
WHILE I THINK MOST OF THIS PLAN
IS FINE, WE'RE PREPARING FOR OUR
IN PROGRESS ELECTRIFICATION AND
FOR ELECTRIFIED FREIGHT, AND
THAT'S GREAT.
THE LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF
EMISSIONS ARE FROM PASSENGER
VEHICLES.
EVEN IN THE ROCKY MOUNT STUDY
ONLY GETS US TO 30% OF PASSENGER
VEHICLES CONVERTED BY 2030.
THAT'S STILL A LOT OF CARBON
EMISSIONS IN 2030.
THE PRESENTATION INCLUDES A
SLOGAN OF JUST SAY NO BUT VERY
LOW IN THIS PLAN WOULD
DISCOURAGE THAT HAPPENING.
BIKES AND PERSONAL ABILITY ARE
MENTIONED, BUT NONE OF THE
SUGGESTED OFFERINGS APPLY UNLESS
YOU DRIVE A CAR.
THEY DO NOT ENCOURAGE GIVING UP
CARS.
THE INCENTIVES ARE NOT IN LINE
WITH ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
EVERY EV CHARGED HELPS A SALES
BUDGET, BUT ELECTRIC CARS HAVE
COSTS.
AIR AND WATER POLLUTION DUE TO
TIRE AND BRAKE DUST, CONGESTION
AND INJURY AND DEATH.
THE ELECTRICITY COMES FROM OUR
HYDROELECTRIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS
GREAT, BUT IT STILL HARMS
WATERWAYS AND OUR HABITATS FOR
SALMON AND OTHER LIFE.
WE SHOULD BE ELECTRIFYING OUR
VEHICLES BUT ALSO TRY TO REDUCE
ELECTRICAL USE.
REDUCTION OF HARM AND
TRANSPORTATION DEMANDS MODE
SHIFT.
THE PLAN SHOULD REFLECT WHAT'S
MORE EFFICIENT FOR UTILITY, BUT
THIS PLAN IS NOT THAT.
WE SHOULD CERTAINLY HAVE
ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS, BUT
OUR PLAN FOR ELECTRIFICATION FOR
PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION SHOULD
SUPPORT MORE THAN ELECTRIC CARS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CITY COUNCIL,
FOR LOOKING AT THIS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALSO
RACHEL, FOLLOWED BY MORRIS.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS RACHEL, AND
I'M THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF
CLIMATE AND ENERGY INITIATIVES
IN THE OFFICE OF KING COUNTY
EXECUTIVE DOW CONSTANTINE.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CITY
LIGHT'S TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
PRODUCES THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF
CARBON EMISSIONS IN KING COUNTY.
IT IS TIME TO ADDRESS THE SECTOR
TO REDUCE TAIL PIPE EMISSIONS
AND BENEFIT FROM CLEAN SOURCES
OF ELECTRICITY.
WE TRANSMITTED KING COUNTY'S
2020 STRATEGIC CLIMATE ACTION
PLAN TO THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL.
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION IS A KEY
STRATEGY TO REACHING OUR SHARED,
COUNTYWIDE EMISSION REDUCTION
TARGETS OF 50% BY 2030.
THE PLAN SUPPORT THIS IS GOAL.
THE ELECTRIFICATION OF OUR
TRANSIT FLEET IS A KEY COMPONENT
POFF OUR PLAN AND CITY LIGHT HAS
PARTNERED WITH KING COUNTY METRO
FOR THE FIRST 40 LONG RANGE
BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES WILL
CHARGE.
CITY LIGHT HAS PROVIDED VALUABLE
INPUT AND GUIDANCE ON DESIGN,
GUIDELINES, TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS
FOR RATE AND LOAD MANAGEMENT
THAT PROMOTE LOW COST, LOW
IMPACT SOLUTION.
CLIMATE JUSTICE IS A PRIORITY
FOR KING COUNTY AS IT IS FOR
SEATTLE.
WE SUPPORT THE PLAN'S FOCUS ON
ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL
INEQUITIES ENDURED BY NEAR ROAD
COMMUNITIES AND SEEK TO WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY LIGHT AND
COMMUNITIES ON EQUITABLE
SOLUTIONS.
KING COUNTY SUPPORTS THE PLAN
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
COLLABORATING.
I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TESTIFY TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, RACHEL.
NEXT UP IS MORRIS FOLLOWED BY
PHILLIP JONES.
GO AHEAD.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MORRIS.
I LIVE IN WALLINGFORD AND I'M A
CLIMATE ACTIVIST AND WORK WITH
MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS.
THE PLAN SAYS THE RIGHT THINGS
AT A HIGH LEVEL.
IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THINGS WILL
BE ACHIEVED.
WHERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
BEING IN SYNC WITH THE CITY
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION PLAN?
ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES, I HAVE NO
CONFIDENCE BECAUSE IN 2017 20
FAST CHARGERS WERE
SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED BY
2020.
I DON'T THINK THIS HAPPENED.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACHIEVE
ALL OF THESE BIG GOALS, VAGUE
GOALS IN THE PLAN?
ARE THESE GOALS EVEN SUFFICIENT
FOR THE CITY MEET 80% EMISSION
REDUCTION BY 2030?
HOW DOES THIS FIT WITH THE
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT PLAN?
THESE GOALS SEEM WELL BELOW WHAT
IS NEEDED AND IT'S NOT CLEAR
THAT THIS PLAN WILL EVEN ACHIEVE
THAT 30% ELECTRIFICATION OF
LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES.
PEOPLE WILL WANT TO DRIVE
ELECTRIC CARS WHEN THEY ARE
CONFIDENT THEY CAN GET A CHARGE.
THERE ARE MANY BARRIERS TO
MULTIDWELLING CHARGING.
CHARGING IN MULTIDWELLING UNITS
IS MENTIONED BUT NO SPECIFIC
GOAL SUCH AS NUMBER OF BUILDINGS
WITH EV ON SITE ARE NOT.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE
ISSUES WITH THE VAGUENESS OF THE
PLAN.
THE FASTER WE ELECTRIFY, THE
MORE PEOPLE WILL BE SPARED A
CHRONIC DISEASE AND DEATH.
THE PLANNING MUST INCLUDE MORE
AMBITIOUS GOAL, MORE TRACKABLE
CHARGES SO THE PUBLIC KNOW WE
ARE SERIOUSLY AIMING TO ACHIEVE
OUR GHG GOALS.
70% OF ALL GHG COMES FROM
CITIES.
CITY POLICIES MATTER.
THE PUBLIC WANTS TO HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR GHG GOALS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP PHILLIP JONES FOLLOWED
BY ROBERT DITCH.
GO AHEAD, PHILLIP.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR PEDERSEN,
MEMBERS TOR COMMITTEE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF STILL NORTH
CAPITOL HILL.
I SERVED AS A UTILITIES
COMMISSIONER IN OLYMPIA FOR 12
YEARS UNDER GOVERNOR GREGOIRE
AND THE CURRENT GOVERNOR.
WORKED HEAVILY ON ISSUES LIKE
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
STORAGE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY TO SOME OF THE
FOLKS ON THE PHONE, IT TOOK
THREE TRIES TO GET 1512 PASSED
AND I WAS A COMMISSIONER FOR
PART OF THAT AND WE WASTED SOME
TIME BY GETTING THE PUBLIC
FUNDS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE
WANT TO GO FASTER, BUT WE'VE
ALREADY SPENT A FEW YEARS TRYING
TO GET THE LEGISLATION PASSED.
THIS IS A, AS TOM AND RACHEL
SAID, THIS IS A STATE OF THE ART
PLAN.
IT'S NOT FOCUSED ON STRATEGY AS
MUCH AS IMPLEMENTATION.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD
PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS AND GET
STEEL IN THE GROUND AND GET THIS
-- GET THINGS GOING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO WORK
WITH THE PLAN.
IT HAS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON
EQUITY.
I WORK IN 25 STATES AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND THIS IS PROBABLY ONE
OF THE BEST PLANS, ESPECIALLY ON
THE EQUITABLE ACCESS ISSUES FOR
BOTH TRANSIT, HEAVY DUTY AND
THEN LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES.
IT'S ALSO VERY GOOD ON THE
STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, AND THEY
SET UP AN EXCELLENT STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS WITH THE BIPOC
COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT, KING COUNTY
METRO AND OTHERS.
SO I THINK YOU SHOULD BE PROUD
OF THIS PLAN.
IT'S RIPE.
IT'S READY TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
ONE LAST THING, THE HYBRID MODEL
OF OWN AND OPERATE AS WELL AS
WORKING WITH -- WHERE CITY LIGHT
OWNS AND OPERATES INFRASTRUCTURE
AS WELL AS THIRD PARTIES IS WELL
CRAFTED AND MULTIFAMILY UNITS
ESPECIALLY NEED THE EMPHASIS OF
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TO BUILD OUT.
AND ACTUALLY OWN AND OPERATE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PHILLIP JONES.
NEXT WE HAVE ROBERT FOLLOWED BY
IRIS.
GO AHEAD, ROBERT.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR THE TIME
TODAY.
I'M HERE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
ELECTRIFICATION PLAN AND
ORDINANCE PUT FORTH BY SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT TODAY TO GO TO FULL
COUNCIL ON THE 6th.
AND IT'S FAR PAST THE TIME FOR A
PLAN LIKE THIS.
MY SUPPORT DOES COME WITH A
CAVEAT.
THE PLAN INDICATES WE SHOULDN'T
DO ONE FOR ONE EV REPLACEMENT.
AND I LOVE THAT AND I THANK YOU
GUYS FOR NOTING THAT.
THE PROBLEM FOR ME IS TWO FOLD.
THE ACTION STEPS HERE DON'T
REFLECT THOSE PRIORITIES.
AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL WON'T
REFLECT THOSE PRIORITIES UNTIL
MUCH LATER IN THIS PROCESS IF AT
ALL.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FURTHER
UPDATES TO THE PLAN TO FACTOR IN
HOW SEATTLE CAN HELP IMPROVE
OTHER LIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLES
LIKE SCOOTERS AND BIKES TO BE
BETTER USED IN CHARGERS IN OUR
CITY.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE
HERE IS WITH COUNCIL, QUITE
FRANKLY, AND IT IS THE PROCESS
IN ORDER TO GET THE SYSTEM IN
PLACE THAT WE NEED TO DECARBON
OUR CITY.
IT SHOULD NOT TAKE A THREE-YEAR
PROCESS TO DESIGN A BIKE LANE.
IT SHOULD NOT TAKE 20 YEARS TO
FIX THE BURKE GILMAN TRAIL.
IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THREE YEARS TO
BUILD OUT OUR SIDEWALK WORK.
WE CANNOT BEAT CARBON WITHOUT
THESE THINGS.
IT'S WELL PAST TIME TO DO THESE
THINGS.
I ENCOURAGE SPL TO MEET THOSE
GOALS IT STATES IT HAS AND FIND
WAYS TO GET OVER THE
BUREAUCRATIC HURDLE BETWEEN
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND BE A
BOOSTER OF THESE ITEMS AND
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT CAN
GET US AROUND TOWN.
SCL COULD BE THE BIGGEST BOOSTER
THERE ARE A MILLION REASONS
UNDER THE SUN OF WHY IT WOULD BE
DIFFICULT.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIGHT PAST
THAT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE
TIME TO BE STUCK ON THESE
THINGS.
AND UNLIKE THE LAST COMMENTER'S
NOTE THAT WE NEED TO BE PATIENT
HERE, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME FOR
THAT.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL
WEEKEND.
>> THANK YOU, ROBERT.
IRIS FOLLOWED BY ANNABELLE.
GO AHEAD, IRIS.
>> THANK YOU, HI.
MY NAME IS IRIS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS
THIS MORNING.
WE'RE IN A CLIMATE CRISIS, AND
WE ALL NEED TO TAKE BOLD STEPS
TO ADDRESS THIS.
SCL IS IN A POSITION TO DO SO.
THE ORDINANCE AS YOU PROPOSED
WILL INCENTIVIZE SWITCHING TO
ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR CUSTOMERS
ARE POTENTIALLY HELPFUL AND
SHOULD BE PASSED.
HOWEVER, THE PLAN YOU HAVE PUT
FORTH FALLS FAR SHORT OF WHAT IS
NEEDED NOW TO MEET OUR 2030 GOAL
OF HAVING 30% OF VEHICLES IN
SEATTLE ELECTRIC.
AS PROPOSED, IT MAY NOT EVEN
MEET A 10% GOAL.
THIS IS NOT FEARLY SUFFICIENT.
I ENCOURAGE THIS COMMITTEE TO
REJECT THIS RESOLUTION AND ASK
SCL PLANNERS TO REWORK THE PLAN
AND RETURN TO THE COUNCIL IN
DECEMBER WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IN
LINE WITH THE GOAL OF 30% OF
AUTOMOBILES IN SEATTLE BE
ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY 2030.
IN ADDITION, WE NEED A MUCH MORE
AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC EASY CHARGER
PROGRAM.
WE HAVE CLEAN ELECTRICITY IN
SEATTLE.
WE MUST MAXIMIZE ITS POTENTIAL
TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL EFFECT ON
MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE.
IF THERE'S ANY PLACE IN THE U.S.
THAT CAN BE A SUCCESS AT
ELECTRIFICATION, IT IS SEATTLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, IRIS.
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WE HAVE
JUST THREE MR. SPEAKERS.
ANNABELLE FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY
KITCHEN.
ANNABELLE, GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
ANNABELLE, I'M A POLICY
ASSOCIATE WITH THE NORTHWEST
ENERGY COALITION, AN ALLIANCE OF
OVER 100 ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE WORKED WITH EACH NORTHWEST
UTILITY AT VARIOUS LEVELS ON THE
DESIGN OF THEIR PLANS AND
PROGRAMS.
I'M NEAR SUPPORT OF THE
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN AND
URGE YOU TO ADAPT RESOLUTION
31971 AND PASS COUNCIL BILL
119895.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT TAKE STEPS TO SUPPORT
THE INTEGRATION OF THIS NEW
VOTE.
PLANNING IS IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE
BENEFITS ACCRUE TO ALL CUSTOMERS
AND LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED
BY AIR POLLUTION AND HIGHER
TRANSPORTATION ENERGY BURDENS.
THE INVESTMENT AREAS WERE
DEVELOPED THROUGH MEANINGFUL
INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALIGN WITH
COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES SEVERAL
COMMITMENTS BY SEATTLE CITY
LIKE, INCLUDING TO CONTINUE
INCLUSIVE COLLABORATION GEARED
TOWARDS DEVELOPING PROGRAMS THAT
ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY.
TO INTEGRATE COMMAND SITE
COMPONENTS AND NEW OFFERINGS TO
AVOID OR REDUCE THE NEED FOR
TRADITIONAL TRANSMISSION
SYSTEMS.
THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO SUPPORT
GREATER ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE
ENERGY FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
CUSTOMERS.
AND TO CONTINUE SHAPING METRICS
THROUGH OUR PARTICIPATORY
PROCESS THAT WILL HELP EVALUATE
EQUITABLE ACCESS, REDUCE CARBON
EMISSIONS AND OTHER IMPORTANT
FACTORS THAT RELATE TO
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
UTILITY INVESTMENT.
THESE ARE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS
OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND
WILL HELP GUIDE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT'S PROGRAM TO DESIGN AN
IMPLEMENTATION IN COLLABORATION
WITH STATE CULTURES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES MOVING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, ANNABELLE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE KIMBERLY
FOLLOWED BY ROBIN BRIGGS.
AND ROBIN BRIGGS IS OUR LAST
SPEAKER.
GO AHEAD, KIMBERLY.
>> THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY, I LIVE ON
CAPITOL HILL AND I'M COMMENTING
ON RESOLUTION 31971.
EVs ARE VERY SEXY AND THEY DON'T
REQUIRE ANY MAJOR CHANGES OR
SACRIFICES FOR PEOPLE WHO DRIVE
OR FROM ANYONE AT ALL REALLY.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM
BECAUSE WE'RE AT A POINT IN THE
CLIMATE CRISIS WHEN EVs ARE NOT
GOING TO SAVE US.
THEY'RE NOT ZERO EMISSIONS WHEN
YOU LOOK AT THE BY-PRODUCTS.
AND EASY WINS IN THE CLIMATE
CRISIS ARE HARDLY EVER THE MOST
EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT TOOK A
PANDEMIC FOR US TO SEE ONE VERY
EFFECTIVE SOLUTION WHEN AT THE
START OF LOCKDOWN PEOPLE DROVE
THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES A LOT
LESS AND WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO
OUR AIR QUALITY IMPROVED BY
UNDENIABLY SIGNIFICANT MEASURES.
THAT WASN'T A TEN-YEAR TIMEFRAME
LIKE THIS PROPOSAL.
IT TOOK ONLY WEEKS.
MOST DRIVERS COULD DRIVE LESS,
MOST OF THEM COULD, BUT
COMMUNICATING THAT IS NOT SEXY
AND TOO MANY OF US APPEAR TO NOT
EVEN WANT TO TRY TO ASK THAT.
SO WE DO NEED A CAMPAIGN,
SOMETHING LIKE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT CREATED WHEN IT
ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO GROW
VICTORY GARDENS TO SUPPORT THE
WAR EFFORT IN WORLD WAR II.
WE NEED MORE AND BETTER PUBLIC
TRANSIT.
WE NEED SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE BIKE
AND WALK ROUTES, AND WE NEED
PEOPLE TO SHIFT MODES AND WE
NEED TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO
GET BEHIND THAT.
IT COULD TAKE MORE THAN WEEKS,
BUT IT WOULDN'T TAKE A DECADE
AND WOULD BE A REAL WIN FOR
OEFRN.
SO IF YOU VOTE YES, PLEASE KEEP
FRONT OF MIND THAT THIS EASY WIN
IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE WIN.
QUICK PROESSCRIPT, EVs ARE AND
WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXPENSIVE SO
THE ASSERTION THAT THIS IS GOOD
ON EQUITY IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO
BELIEVE.
THANSS FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, KIMBERLY.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS ROBIN
BRIGGS.
GO AHEAD, ROBIN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ROBIN BRIGGS,
AND I LIVE ON CAPITOL HILL.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS MY BIGGEST
CONCERN, AND I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF
PREPARING THE GRID FOR
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
AND PUTTING IN PLACE THE
CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE WE ARE
GOING TO NEED.
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT SHOULD BE
ABLE TO PAY INCENTIVES TO
ACCELERATE THE MOVE TO
ELECTRIFICATION.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLAN OF
PAYING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO
PRIVATE COMPANIES WHO ARE
INSTALLING CHARGERS.
WE SHOULD MAKE IT AS EASY FOR
THEM AS POSSIBLE TO GET TO THE
PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT LET'S
MAKE SURE THAT METRO, THE
SCHOOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC
ENTITIES HAVE THE HELP THEY NEED
BEFORE.
I THINK SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
SHOULD INCLUDE INCENTIVES FOR
ELECTRIC BIKES.
ELECTRIC BIKES ARE ELECTRIC
VEHICLE THAT IS WE OFTEN DON'T
CONSIDER, BUT THEY'RE A GREAT
WAY OF GETTING AROUND WITHOUT
ADDING A LOT OF CONGESTION.
>> THANK YOU, ROBIN, ARE YOU
FINISHED?
OKAY.
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, ROBIN.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC
SPEAKERS, SO WE'RE GOING BE
CLOSING THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD AND GETTING INTO THE
ITEMS OF BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA.
JUST A REMINDER TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, WE DID TALK THE LAST
COMMITTEE ABOUT THE INTERNET FOR
ALL REPORT AND ACTION PLAN BASED
ON THE RESOLUTION SPONSORED BY
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ AND
COUNCILMEMBER DEBORAH JUAREZ AND
ME.
SO IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THE
ACTION PLAN, SEND THEM TO MY
OFFICE OR TO THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR
SO.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
NOW ON THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS FOR
THIS AGENDA TODAY.
WE'LL BE CONSIDERING THE FIRST
THREE PIECES TOGETHER.
WE'LL VOTE SEPARATELY ON THE
ITEMS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO READ
THEM ALL INTO THE RECORD AT THE
SAME TIME BECAUSE THEY ALL DEAL
WITH ELECTRIFICATION.
THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ARE SUBJECT
TO POSSIBLE VOTE TODAY AND
GETTING THOSE TO THE MONDAY,
OCTOBER 5, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO
DIRECTLY.
ON TUESDAY THERE'LL BE TIME IN
THE MIDDLE UNTIL MONDAY, OCTOBER
5.
THAT'S THE PLAN FOR THESE -- THE
RESOLUTION AND THEN THE
ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THERE'S A THIRD ITEM
WHICH IS A DRAFT COUNCIL BILL
THAT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT IS GOING
TO BE SUBMITTING SOON.
BUT IT'S RELATED TO THIS
ELECTRIFICATION PROCESS AND SO
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CLERK
READ ITEMS ONE, TWO, AND THREE
INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WE'LL
HEAR FROM SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
PRESENTATIONS.
SO GO AHEAD, CLERK, AND READ
ITEMS ONE, TWO, AND THREE INTO
THE RECORD PLEASE.
>> OKAY, BEFORE I DO THAT, I
WILL NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT I
BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IS
NOW IN ATTENDANCE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ITEM ONE, RESOLUTION 31971 A
RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE CITY
LIGHT
DEPARTMENT, ADOPTING A
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN FOR
THE CITY LIGHT DEPARTMENT THAT
WILL GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE UTILITYb
STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT
PRIORITIES RELATED TO THE
ELECTRIFICATION OF
TRANSPORTATION.
FOR BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
ITEM TWO, COUNCIL BILL 119895,
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE
CITY LIGHT
DEPARTMENT, GRANTING AUTHORITY
FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFER
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IN THE
ELECTRIFICATION OF
TRANSPORTATION FOR ITS
CUSTOMERS, INCLUDING THE
PROMOTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE
ADOPTION AND ADVERTISING
PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE THE
UTILITYb
OR REBATES AND ADDING A NEW
CHAPTER 21.53 TO THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE
FOR BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
ITEM THREE, PRESENTATION ON
AMENDMENT TO SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE 21.49.090 WHICH CURRENTLY
IMPOSES A
BARRIER TO THE EFFICIENT AND
TIMELY DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRIC
VEHICLE
CHARGING SITES.
SCL PROPOSES LEGISLATION
CLARIFYING SEATTLE CITY LIGHTb
DISCRETION TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL
SERVICES ON A PARCEL.
FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
AND EVERYBODY, WE DO HAVE OUR
CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
EXPERT HERE, ERIC, WHO FOLLOWS
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT ITEMS, AND SO
ERIC, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS BEFORE
HAND, OR WE CAN JUST TURN IT
OVER TO SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TO DO
THESE PRESENTATIONS.
>> I'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO
SAY, GOOD MORNING.
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
PRESENTATIONS.
AND I NOTE THAT, AS YOU POINTED
OUT, THESE PIECES OF LEGISLATION
GO TOGETHER.
THE RESOLUTION ALLOWS FOR
COUNCIL TO THEN PASS THE
ORDINANCE THAT FOLLOWS IT.
SO THEY WORK IN TANDEM.
THAT MAY ALREADY HAVE BEEN SAID,
BUT PART OF MY ROLE IS TO
EMPHASIZE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I'LL STEP BACK, AND AS USUAL, IF
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
WOULD LIKE ME TO WORK WITH THE
UTILITY,LY DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER NOW
TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OF
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT, DEBRA SMITH.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
WITH US.
AND I REALLY DO WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO APPRECIATE HAVING A
SPECIAL CITY LIKE MEETING AND
ALLOWING US TO MOVE FORWARD.
IN PARTICULAR, TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION, AND NOW WE'VE
ALL GOTTEN GOOD AT THE ACRONYM,
IT'S BEEN AN EFFORT THAT WE'VE
BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME,
AS NOTED BY SOME OF THE
SPEAKERS.
STARTED WITH THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
WORK AS WE WERE WORKING TOWARD
THE LEGISLATIVE FIX IN OLYMPIA
THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO OFFER
INCENTIVES.
I DRIVE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND
THIS SUMMER MY HUSBAND AND I
DURING COVID BOUGHT ELECTRIC
BIKES.
SO I GET IT AND REALLY
APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF BOTH.
AND I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, LIVING
IN SEATTLE, PARTICULARLY
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, THE ELECTRIC
BIKE SERVES ME INCREDIBLY WELL.
SO ACKNOWLEDGING ALL THAT'S BEEN
HEARD AND EXCITED TO TALK WITH
YOU ABOUT THESE INITIATIVES
TODAY.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
INTRODUCE ALL OF STAFF, ALL OF
THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING
TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY SO
THAT WE CAN GET THAT DONE UP
FRONT.
I'LL OFFER JUST A FEW OPENING
REMARKS ABOUT ITEMS NUMBER ONE
AND TWO, THE TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN, AND THEN I'LL
TURN IT OVER TO STAFF.
SO ALSO, JUST REALLY WANT TO
THANK ALL OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS,
CHAIR PEDERSEN, FOR WORKING WITH
US AGAIN.
AND I WANTED JUST TO OFFER A
HELLO TO ERIC AND TOBY AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN GETTING
US HERE.
SO THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE TODAY,
WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP PRESENTING
FOR CITY LIGHT.
WE'VE GOT EMEKA ANYANWU WHO IS
OUR ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION
OFFICER.
HE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, AND HE'S
JUST BEEN A FABULOUS ADDITION TO
OUR STAFF.
AS HAS DAVID LOGSDON WHO I THINK
YOU MET, MANY OF YOU HAVE MET IN
THE PAST.
HE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF
ELECTRIFICATION AND STRATEGIC
TECHNOLOGY.
HE COMES TO US FROM NEW YORK AND
HAS BROUGHT INCREDIBLE IDEAS AND
OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY IN A
VERY, VERY SHORT TIME.
JOINED US RIGHT BEFORE COVID,
AND IT'S AMAZING, HE HAS NOT
SKIPPED A BEAT.
AND WE'VE GOT VICTOR COUTO, THE
PROGRAM MANAGER FOR CUSTOMER
CARE AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
IN MANY WAYS, HE IS THE
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS DONE A LOT OF
THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WORK
HERE.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE HIS
EFFORTS.
JENNY LEVESQUE, OUR EXTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER.
AND AS NOTED IN SOME OF THE
DISCUSSION OR THE PUBLIC COMMENT
AND AS WILL BE NOTED IN OUR
PRESENTATION, THIS IS REALLY THE
BEGINNING OF AN IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN, AND WE HAVE LOTS OF
COMMUNITY OUTPUT TO -- OR INPUT
TO CONTINUE GATHERING.
WE ARE BY NO MEANS DONE WITH
THAT.
IN FACT, IN SOME WAYS TO COVID
SLOWING DOWN BUSINESS AS USUAL,
IT HAS IMPACTED AND DID IMPACT
OUR ABILITY TO DO PUBLIC
OUTREACH.
SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO
PURSUE THAT VERY, VERY
DILIGENTLY UNDER JENNY'S
EXPERTISE.
AND THEN MAURA, OUR DIRECTOR OF
GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS.
AND SHE'S ALSO, AS I NOTED
EARLIER, OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY
INDIVIDUAL TODAY.
WHEN WE MOVE INTO THE OPEN
ACCESS TRANSMISSION TARIFF ITEM,
THAT'S A MOUTHFUL AS WELL, WE
CALL IT THE OAT.
WE WILL HAVE JIM BAGGS, WHO'S
OUR COMPLIANCE OFFICER, CATHY
LEONE WOODS, THE DIRECTOR OF
REGULATORY AFFAIRS FOR CITY
LIGHT AS WELL AS MELISSA
SKELTON, THE STRATEGIC ADVISOR
IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
AND MUCH OF THE WORK TODAY HAS
BEEN UNDER MELISSA'S TUTELAGE.
AND THEN MAURA WILL BE HELPING
US ALONG WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
LASTLY, WE HAVE A FINANCE ITEM
WHICH IS MUCH MORE OF A
HOUSEKEEPING ITEM AND WE'LL HAVE
KIRSTY GRAINGER, WHO IS CITY
LIGHT'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER,
AS WELL AS CHRIS RUFFINI, OUR
FINANCE DIRECTOR, CARSTON CROFF,
THE MANAGER OF FINANCIAL
PLANNING AND RATES AND, OF
COURSE, MAURA BRUEGER ON THE
POWERPOINT.
SO THAT'S OUR LINEUP FOR TODAY.
SO CITY LIGHT HAS LONG BEEN
COMMITTED TO ENABLING CUSTOMER
CHOICE IN MANY WAYS AND
GUARANTEEING SUSTAINED PUBLIC
VALUE FROM THE UTILITY GRID.
SO WE DO VIEW THE UTILITY GRID.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT THAT BELONGS
TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE
BEHOLDEN TO MAKE THE MOST VALUE
OF IT AS WE CAN.
AS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CITY
LIGHT CUSTOMERS HAVE CHOSEN TO
GO ELECTRIC AND ELECTRIFY BOTH
FLEETS AND PERSONAL VEHICLES,
CITY LIGHT SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND
AND ACCELERATE CUSTOMER ADOPTION
OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN A MANNER
THAT EQUITABLY AND SUSTAINABLY
MAXIMIZES GRID BENEFITS FOR OUR
CUSTOMERS.
AND WE DID HEAR FROM FOLKS
DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, TARGETS, METRICS.
IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING.
OUR ROLE AS A PUBLIC ENTITY IS
TO ACCELERATE AND TO MAKE
POSSIBLE ADOPTION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT PERSONAL
CHOICE AROUND ELECTRIFICATION,
WHETHER IT IS FOR PUBLIC OR A
PRIVATE ENTITY THAT IS
ELECTRIFYING FLEETS, OR WHETHER
IT'S YOU AND I AT HOME, THOSE
ARE CHOICE THAT IS GET MADE AND
OUR JOB IS TO CREATE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THEM
MAKE THAT CHOICE.
AS NOTED, THERE ARE COST BENEFIT
VALUES TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND
WE KNOW THAT ADOPTION WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS PRICE
POINTS COME DOWN AND AS ACCESS
TO CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
BECOMES MORE AVAILABLE.
SO CITY LIGHT ENVISIONS A
UTILITY OF THE FUTURE THAT'S
RESPONSIVE TO THE WANTS AND
NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL
AND SOCIAL INEQUITIES.
WE DO TAKE INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY.
WE OPERATE A MODERNIZED GRID
THAT ENABLES REALTIME SMART
TECHNOLOGY INTERACTION AND
PROVIDES ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS AND UPGRADES.
WITH OUR CLEAN ENERGY, BECAUSE
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AS A CITY
TO HAVE ACCESS TO OUR HYDROPOWER
SYSTEM, PRIMARILY FROM SKAGIT
AND OUR BOUNDARY DAMS.
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS A WHOLE
IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO
ELECTRIFY THE TRANSPORTATION
SECTOR AND TO DELIVER A TRIPLE
WIN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, THE
REQUIREMENT AND THE UTILITY.
AND AS NOTED, IN RESPONSE TO
THOSE NEEDS IN RECENT STATE
LEGISLATION AS CITY LIGHT
DEVELOPED A TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN FOR 2021 TO 2024
TO OFFER CUSTOMER INCENTIVES AND
PROMOTE THE ELECTRIFICATION OF
TRANSPORTATION TO ENSURE THAT WE
BRING MAXIMUM VALUE AND
CONVENIENCE TO OUR CUSTOMER
OWNERS AS WE ENABLE THIS
TRANSITION.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THIS
PLAN TO YOU AND TO SEEK YOUR
SUPPORT FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION-BASED
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGES SO THAT WE
CAN BEGIN THIS CRUCIAL WORK.
SO EMEKA AND DAVID WILL TAKE YOU
THROUGH ABOUT A 20-MINUTE
PRESENTATION COVERING OUR
PROCESS.
WE HAVE LOTS OF TIME LEFT OVER
FOR QUESTIONS, AND SO WE WELCOME
THEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
FROM YOU.
GENTLEMEN?
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, DEBRA.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS WORK
BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY.
THE RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE WE
HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY WERE
DEVELOPED AS I THINK HAS BEEN
POINTED OUT EARLIER IN RESPONSE
TO THE 2019 PASSAGE OF HOUSE
BILL 1512 BY THE WASHINGTON
STATE LEGISLATURE.
AND THAT BILL GRANTS UTILITIES
THE AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE
CUSTOMER INCENTIVES FOLLOWING TO
DRIVE THE ADOPTION OF FOLLOWING
THE ADOPTION OF A TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION PLAN BY OUR
GOVERNING BOARD WHICH, OF
COURSE, IS THE CITY COUNCIL SO.
THE RESOLUTION, AS ERIC POINTED
OUT, ADOPTS OUR TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN, AND THEN THE
ORDINANCE AMENDS THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE TO ACTIVATE THAT
ABILITY FOR US TO PROMOTE
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
AND PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO OUR
CUSTOMERS.
SO I THINK THE THING TO START
OUT WITH, MAURA, IF YOU'LL GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, IS REALLY
TO POINT OUT SORT OF THE MAIN
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY, THE THINGS
WE HOPE EVERYBODY WALKS AWAY
FROM THIS DISCUSSION WITH.
THE FIRST THING IS, AGAIN, AND
THIS CAN'T BE SAID TOO STRONGLY,
SPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF SOME OF
THE COMMENTS, OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN
TO LISTEN TO AND ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH
OUR APPROACH FOR HOW WE'RE GOING
TO SET OUR PRIORITIES, AND WE
ARE INTENT ON MINIMIZING EARLIER
PREMATURE CONCLUSIONS TO AVOID
CONFIRMATION BIAS OR DOING WHAT
SORT OF FEELS RIGHT JUST TO US.
AND SO WE INTEND TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE TO AN ONGOING
PROCESS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, KEY TO THAT IS THAT
CITY LIGHT STRIVES TO
INCORPORATE THE VOICES OF
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNIT
WHO IS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN
LEFT EXCLUDED, LEFT OUT OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
IS PLANNED AND DEVELOPED.
SO BY LISTENING TO THOSE PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING ENVIRONMENTAL
INEQUITIES, WE THINK THAT WILL
RESULT IN SOLUTION THAT IS MEET
THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR
CUSTOMERS.
CITY LIKE -- AT CITY LIGHT WE'RE
COMMITTED TO SERVING OUR BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND OTHER PERSONS OF
COLOR, IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES,
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING LOW INCOMES,
YOUTH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LEARNERS ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE
ENGLISH NOT AS THEIR FIRST
LANGUAGE.
WE ARE CENTERING THOSE NEEDS AND
MAKING THEM A PRIORITY IN OUR
WORK HERE.
THAT LEADS US TO THE SECOND KEY
POINT.
WE RESOUNDINGLY HEARD OVER THE
COURSE OF SEVERAL YEAR THAT IS
TRANSIT IS A TOP PRIORITY.
IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MODE
SHIFT, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF
THE PLACES THAT WE GAIN
EFFICIENCY.
OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION
MATTER, BUT PUBLIC TRANSIT TAKES
THE CAKE AND MAKES THE MOST
IMPACT ON THESE COMMUNITIES.
SO THE NEXT THING, AGAIN, IS TO
REITERATE THAT TRANSPORTATIN
ELECTRIFICATION FOR US IS NOT
ABOUT TRADING IN INTERNAL
COMBUSTION VEHICLES FOR EVs,
SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLES ARE
NOT THE PREFERRED SOLUTION,
THEY'RE NOT THE FUTURE.
WE MAY HAVE A TEMPORARY DETOUR
FOR TRANSITIONAL REASONS,
INCLUDING, OF COURSE, THE
PANDEMIC WHERE FOLKS ARE MAKING
CHOICES AROUND THEIR COMFORT
LEVEL WITH RIDING MASS TRANSIT.
BUT THE LONG-TERM PATH IS ABOUT
SHARED MODES, SHARED PRODUCTION
AND ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM ON THE
SLIDE IS THE FOUNDATIONAL ONE.
THE GRID IS THE PLATFORM THAT
GETS TO THE FUTURE WE ENVISION.
IT REALLY IS THE CONNECTIVE
TISSUE THAT BINDS TOGETHER EVERY
PART OF OUR FUTURE TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A KEY PART OF HOW WE GET
TO AN EQUITABLE ENERGY FUTURE.
SO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT,
IT'S NOT OUR GRANDPARENTS GRID,
SO TO SPEAK.
THE NEW GRID NEEDS TO BE
DYNAMIC.
IT NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED,
FLEXIBLE AND SMART.
IT NEEDS TO BE UP TO THE TASK OF
GETTING US TO THAT FUTURE THAT
WE DESIRE.
SO NEXT I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THIS FITS INTO THE CITY'S
BIG PICTURE.
IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE'VE REALLY ENGAGED ON A
FAIRLY DEEP CITYWIDE
COORDINATION ON TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION.
CITY LIGHT'S VISION AND GOALS
FOR THIS FUTURE ELECTRIFIED
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AS TALKED
ABOUT IN THE PLAN ARE ALIGNED
WITH AND SUPPORT OUR CITY'S
CLIMATE GOALS AND THE UPDATED
CITYWIDE ELECTRIFICATION
STRATEGY WHICH WILL BE FINALIZED
LATER THIS YEAR.
THAT CITYWIDE TE PLAN IS A
MULTIDEPARTMENT EFFORT TO
ELECTRIFY IT AT SCALE AND TO
TACKLE POOR AIR QUALITY FROM THE
COMBUSTION OF DIRTY FOSSIL
FUELS.
WE LOOK TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGY
THAT IS WILL REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL
CONSUMPTION THROUGH
ELECTRIFICATION AND SUPPORTING
THE OUTCOME OF THE GREEN NEW
DEAL.
CITY LIGHT, THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
AND SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ARE LEADING THAT
CITYWIDE TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION EFFORT IN
COLLABORATION WITH SEVERAL OTHER
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO OUR STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN
IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THAT
CITYWIDE PLAN.
AND IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THOSE
AMBITIOUS GOALS SET OUT IN THAT
PLAN THAT LEARN SEE LATE THEY
ARE YEAR, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE
HAVE THE AUTHORITY THAT CITY
LIGHT AS A UTILITY HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO OFFER CUSTOMER
INCENTIVES AND SERVICES FOR
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION,
AS WELL AS THE AUTHORITY TO
PROMOTE ELECTRIC VEHICLE
ADOPTION AND ADVERTISE OUR
UTILITY SERVICES, WHICH IS
CODIFIED IN THE LEGISLATION.
AND SO WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO FINALLY, BEFORE I HAND IT
OFF, I'LL JUST SAY THAT AS WE
LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FRAME
WHERE WE ARE RELATIVE TO OUR
PEERS WITH THIS WORK.
SNOHOMISH PUD TOOK HOME THE
POWER AND VISTA HAVE HAD THEIR
PLANS ALREADY APPROVED BY THE
GOVERNMENT BODIES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT PUGET SOUND
ENERGY IS PLANNING TO SUBMIT
THEIR PLANS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR
NEIGHBORS HERE IN THE REGION,
IT'S CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO KEEP
ON PACE AND NOT FALL BEHIND OUR
PEERS.
AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO
BE LAST.
I THINK WE HAVE A MANDATE FROM
THE COUNCIL FROM OUR REVIEW
PANEL FROM OUR CUSTOMER OWNERS
TO BE A REGIONAL LEADER.
AND SO HOW WE BE A REGIONAL
LEADER IS CERTAINLY NOT TO BE
LAST IN GETTING PAST THIS
MILESTONE SO THAT WE CAN GET TO
THE WORK OF DELIVERING
TRANSPORTATIONAL EDUCATION TO
OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND
IT OFF TO DAVID.
AND DAVID WILL WALK US THROUGH
THE PATH WE'VE TAKEN TO GET TO
THE PLAN.
DAVID?
>> THANK YOU, EMEKA.
AND I WANTED TO JUST TAG ALONG
ON THAT NOTE ON REGIONAL
LEADERSHIP.
DAVID LOGSDON, DIRECTOR OF
ELECTRIFICATION AND STRATEGIC
TECHNOLOGY HERE AT SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
DEBRA MENTIONED I MOVED HERE AT
THE START OF THIS YEAR, JANUARY,
RIGHT BEFORE COVID HIT.
CAME MOST RECENTLY FROM NEW YORK
AND CON EDISON WHERE I WORKED ON
ELECTRIFICATION INITIATIVES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY A BIG
PART OF WHAT DROVE ME TO MOVE MY
FAMILY OVER HERE AND WORK WITH
DEBRA ON THESE INITIATIVES HAS
BEEN THE ABILITY WE HAVE TO LEAD
IN THE REGION ON TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION.
THE CONDITIONS ARE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT IN THE REGION.
THE POLICY SUPPORT IS IN PLACE
THIS.
PLAN REPRESENTS SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT'S CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS
THAT.
LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE, I THINK
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS TO NOTE IS
THE EXTENSIVE HISTORY THAT LEADS
UP TO TODAY.
THE BUILDUP GOES BACK AT LEAST
FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT'S REALLY LOOKING AT
2015.
YOU SEE CITY LIGHT COMPLETED A
STUDY TO LOOK AT THE
IMPLICATIONS OF EV ADOPT IN OUR
SERVICE AREA.
WE DID THIS WORK IN
COLLABORATION WITH ENERGY AND
ENVIRONMENT ECONOMICS AND OTHER
NORTHWEST UTILITIES.
AND THE GOAL THERE WAS REALLY TO
UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL
GRID AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION.
THAT STUDY HAD A NUMBER OF KEY
FINDINGS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO
INFLUENCE HOW WE LOOK AT
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
AND ARE REFLECTED IN THE
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN.
ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS I
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS THE
STUDY FOUND OVER THE LIFE OF
EACH ELECTRIC VEHICLE, THERE WAS
A NET BENEFIT OF $1,250 PER
PERSONAL VEHICLE.
SO THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS FOR
OUR CUSTOMER OWNERS ARE A BIG
DRIVER FOR THE BENEFITS THAT CAN
COME FROM TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION.
AND BASED ON THOSE PROMISING
INITIAL RESULTS, CITY LIGHT
CONTINUED TO INVEST IN INITIAL
PILOT PROGRAMS.
WE HAD PILOT PROGRAMS PRIMARILY
UNDER DRIVE CLEAN SEATTLE
INITIATIVE.
WE ADDED FURTHER RIGOR TO OUR
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
BENEFIT ANALYSIS SO BUILT OFF
THAT ANALYSIS DONE IN 2015 WITH
AN ADDITIONAL STRATEGY REPORT.
WE DEVELOPED THAT WITH ROCKY
THIS REPORT DIVED MORE DEEPLY
AND LOOKED AT THE STATE OF THE
ELECTRIC MOBILITY MARKET,
INJECTED IMPACTS TO CITY LIGHT
THAT MAY COME FROM MARKET
ADOPTION OF PERSONALLY OWNED
VEHICLES, MEDIUM HEAVY FLEET
VEHICLES.
THAT WORK INFORMS THE INVESTMENT
VALUE FRAMEWORK AND HAS HELPED
US TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE CAN DO
WITH ACCESS TO EV ADOPTION AND
TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE GRID
IMPACTS.
THIS INCLUDES PREPARING FOR
HEAVY DUTY ELECTRIFICATION BY
PARTNERING WITH PARTNER WHO HAVE
PLANS AS WELL AS DEVELOPING NEW
RATES, IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE
STRATEGIES FOR TRANSPORTATION
MARKET.
AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE RATE
PILOTS WE HAVE LATER ON.
AND THEN ALSO STRATEGIES AROUND
INVESTING AND CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE WITH EMPHASIS ON
UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND CONTINUING
TO EXPAND COVERAGE.
AND THEN YOU KIND OF GO, AND
MOVING ALONG THE TIMELINE, YOU
SEE THE PASSAGE OF WASHINGTON
HOUSE BILL 1512, WHICH HAS BEEN
MENTIONED A FEW TIMES.
THAT PASSED ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO.
THAT'S WHEN WE BEGAN THE WORK ON
THE PLAN.
AT THE START OF THE BUILDING OF
THE PLAN, WE WANTED MEANINGFUL
INCLUSION ACROSS OUR SERVICE
AREA.
WE WANTED TO INCORPORATE THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES IN OUR WORK.
A RACIAL EQUITY ANALYSIS USING
THE CITY OF SEATTLE TOOL KIT.
WE DEVELOPED THIS PLAN BY REALLY
LEADING WITH OUR VALUES AND
INCORPORATING WHAT WE'VE HEARD
FROM THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUS
'TIS COMMUNITIES AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS IN PHASE ONE
OUTREACH.
AND TO SHAPE THE PRIORITIES THAT
WE'RE NOW PRESENTING TO COUNCIL
IN THIS PLAN, WE'VE -- IN THAT
OUTREACH, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, OTHER
CITY DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TODAY
JUST LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE,
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SEEK CITY
COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TO ACTIVATE
THAT STATUTORY AUTHORITY SO AS
TO FULLY DELIVER ON THE
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE'RE READY TO
PROCEED TO THE NEXT WAVE OF
WORK, A SECOND PHASE OF
COMMUNITY OUTREACH SO WE CAN
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY
WITH COMMUNITIES TO INFORM THE
PROGRAM DESIGN EFFORTS AS WE
BUILD UP THE PORTFOLIO OF NEW
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE'LL
BE IMPLEMENTING.
SO THAT'S THE PROCESS
PERSPECTIVE AND SOME OF THE RICH
HISTORY THAT HAS LED TO THE DAY.
AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I'D LIKE
TO TAKE US BACK TO THE PLANNED
DEVELOPMENT ITSELF A LITTLE MORE
DEEPLY AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE
APPROACHED IT.
WE CENTERED ON OUR VALUES, SO I
WANTED TO SHARE THOSE ACTUAL
VALUES, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THEY WERE
REFLECTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE PLAN.
THE CORE OF PLAN DEVELOPMENT WAS
TO GET A SQUARE ON THESE KEY
STRATEGIES AND VALUES.
THE FIRST OF THOSE IS EQUITY.
WITH EQUITY, WE WANT TO CONDUCT
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
COMMUNITY-CENTERED COLLABORATION
AND ENGAGEMENT FROM THE START.
THAT'S MOSTLY COMPLETE WITH THE
PHASE ONE OUTREACH EFFORT I
TALKED ABOUT AND WE'LL BE
TALKING ABOUT AGAIN IN A MOMENT.
THIS IS REALLY KEEL FOR US AND
WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE POSITIVE
OUTCOMES AND MINIMIZE HARM,
ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES.
NEXT VALUE IS ENVIRONMENT.
WE HEARD IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS
QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE KEY DRIVER
THAT TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION CAN SERVE AS IN
COMBATTING OVERALL GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS IN OUR AREA.
TRANSPORTATION REPRESENTS
TWO-THIRDS OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS IN THE REGION.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO TAP THE AIR
QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
BENEFITS FROM REDUCED TRAFFIC
CONGESTION.
AND MANY OF THE FLEETS AND
TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE
SEEK TO ELECTRIFY DO HAVE BIG
IMPACTS, ESPECIALLY IN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES.
THIRD VALUE IS THE GRID.
THE GRID IS THE PLATFORM THAT
ENABLES ALL OF WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS PLAN.
WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE THAT SHARED
ASSET.
WE WANT TO AVOID UPGRADES.
WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS
OF TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION FULLY.
SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN
START TO SEE HOW THESE VALUES
REALLY BECAME MANIFEST IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY TIED TO THE
EXTENSIVE STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH
WE CONDUCTED AND ALREADY AND WE
CONTINUE TO CONDUCT AS WE MOVE
ON TO THE NEXT STAGE.
SO WE REALLY STARTED WITH THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
AND IN THE PAST, SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT HAS RECEIVED CLEAR AND
DIRECT FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED TO
CENTER OUR OFFERINGS ON THE
COMMUNITIES WE SERVE AND
ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES
EXPERIENCING ENVIRONMENTAL AND
SOCIAL INEQUITIES IN OUR
PLANNING PROCESS.
SO WE TOOK THAT TO HEART, AND
WE'VE REALLY BUILT THE PROCESS
AROUND STARTING BY FIRST
CONDUCTING THE RACIAL EQUITY
ANALYSIS AND THEN ENGAGING
DEEPLY WITH COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY
LEADERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDER
GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
WE SHARE THE DRAFT WITH OVER 40
GROUPS, INCLUDING
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN
ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS, MULTIPLE
COMMERCIAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NONPROFIT FLEETS, LABOR UNIONS,
LABOR COUNCILS.
WE MET WITH SHARED MOBILITY
STAKEHOLDERS, TAXI COMPANIES.
AND WHAT WE HEARD RESOUNDINGLY
WAS WE SHOULD FOCUS ON KEY
PRIORITIES.
I'LL PUT THESE IN ORDER.
THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAIL ON
THIS IN THE COMMUNITY AND
STAKEHOLDER SUMMARY THAT'S
INCLUDED IN THE LEGISLATIVE
PACKAGE.
THOSE RANKED PRIORITIES THAT WE
HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDERS WERE
NUMBER ONE, EDUCATING AND
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH
COMMUNITIES AS WE DEVELOPED THE
PLAN AS WE CREATE AN ACTUAL
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BASED ON
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
NUMBER TWO IS PRIORITIZING
PUBLIC TRANSIT.
NUMBER THREE WAS ELECTRIFYING
FLEETS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE
DUWAMISH VALLEY.
THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPACTFUL AS
THOSE FLEETS DO OPERATE IN
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITIES AND HAVE A BIG
POTENTIAL TO REDUCE EMISSIONS
AND MITIGATE HEALTH IMPACTS IN
THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND FLEET PROGRAMS AND
INCENTIVES ARE A GREAT WAY TO
IMPACT A LARGE NUMBER OF
VEHICLES FAIRLY QUICKLY.
NUMBER FOUR, EXPAND AT-HOME AND
NEAR HOME CHARGING FOR
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTS TO ALLOW
FOR MORE EQUITABLE ACCESS.
AND ELECTRIFY HIGH MILEAGE
VEHICLES.
THEY HAVE A BIG IMPACT AS THEY
DRIVE THREE TO FOUR TO FIVE MORE
TIMES AND MILES THAN REGULAR
PASSENGER CARS.
THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE
PHASE ONE OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT.
ON THE SLIDE THAT MAURA'S
BROUGHT UP, THAT'S REFLECTED IN
THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WE
SHAPED IN THE PLAN.
THIS SLIDE, WHICH WE'LL STAY ON,
IT PRESENTS THE INVESTMENT
PRIORITIES WE'RE EBRINGING TO
COUNCIL TODAY.
THESE ARE THE PRIORITY THAT IS
WERE SHAPED DIRECTLY BY
OUTREACH.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT STACK I READ
FROM WHAT WE HEARD FROM
COMMUNITY, IF YOU READ FROM TOP
TO BOTTOM OF THESE SLIDES,
THAT'S BASICALLY, ESSENTIALLY,
100% LINES UP WITH WHAT WE HEARD
FROM COMMUNITIES.
AND EACH OF THESE IS PAIRED WITH
EQUITY OUTCOMES WE INTEND TO
ACHIEVE AS WE MOVE ON TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTATION.
WHAT WE CAN DO NOW IS WORK OUR
WAY DOWN FROM THE TOP HERE AND
WE CAN START WITH THOSE AREAS OF
MOST IMPORTANCE AS WE MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT PHASE OF WORKING WITH
COMMUNITIES TO BUILD OUT A FULL
PORTFOLIO.
SO NUMBER ONE, AND THIS AGAIN
MATCHES EVERYTHING THAT WE HEARD
FROM COMMUNITIES.
NUMBER ONE IS CONTINUE TO
EDUCATE AND CONNECT WITH
COMMUNITIES TO HEAR THOSE
PRIORITIES AND REFLECT THOSE
PRIORITIES IN OUR WORK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE COMMUNITIES
ARE AWARE OF THE BENEFITS AND
HOW THEY CAN ACCESS THEM.
AND TO THAT END, I MENTIONED A
LITTLE BIT THAT WE'VE CONCLUDED
OUR PHASE ONE OUTREACH.
THE PHASE TWO OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT EFFORT WE HOPE TO
UNDERTAKE WILL BE FOCUSED ON
DEEPER AND MORE MEANINGFUL
ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND LEADERS.
WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS, EDUCATE.
THE OUTREACH IS GOING TO GO
BEYOND THAT.
IN THIS PHASE TWO WE ARE GOING
TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS ON TOPICS THAT GET
INTO PROGRAM DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT
AND IMPLEMENTATION.
WE WANT TO TRULY COLLABORATE
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS RIGHT
FROM THE START AND ENSURE WE
MEET THEIR NEEDS.
CONTINUING THROUGH THE
PRIORITIES, YOU CAN SEE
TRANSIT'S A TEARDROP PRIORITY.
AND I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE, I
DIDN'T SEE IT, BUT WE HAVE A
HAND RAISED AT THE MOMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I
BELIEVE.
>> THANK YOU.
CHAIR PEDERSEN, MAY I?
>> YES, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JUST LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PRIORITIES, I'M
CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
MARITIME VEHICLES MADE THE LIST,
WHETHEROR NOT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT SHIPS OR SHIPS FOR
PURPOSES OF CARGO OR CRUISE
SHIPS.
I DON'T SEE THESE BEING
PRIORITIZED AND JUST WONDERING
WAS THAT A FUNCTION OF PEOPLE
NOT BEING ASKED OR JUST PEOPLE
-- WERE THEY ASKED AND THEY
DIDN'T RATE THAT AS A PRIORITY?
>> I THINK IT DID COME UP IN
SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND
ESPECIALLY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS THAT PEOPLE HOPE TO SEE
THERE.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOME MORE
ON THAT AS WE GET ON TO THE
MILESTONE SLIDE.
I BELIEVE WE'LL BE TALKING IN A
MOMENT ABOUT SOME OF THE
EXISTING WORK WE'VE DONE WITH
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES AND
HOPE TO EXPAND ON.
THEN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PORT
OF SEATTLE.
AND I THINK THAT IN SOME OF THE
OUTREACH WE HEARD FROM, I WANT
TO SAY IT WAS SOUTH PARK
COMMUNITY, ASKED ABOUT E-BOATS.
SO I THINK THAT WE'RE KEYED UP
TO WORK WITH MARITIME
APPLICATIONS.
>> SO THAT WAS A TRANSPORTATION
USE THAT PEOPLE WERE GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRIORITIZE?
>> YES.
>> IT WAS ON THE LIST AND THEY
JUST DIDN'T CHOOSE IT?
>> SOME DID.
YEAH --
>> IT DIDN'T MAKE IT AS A TOP
PRIORITY?
>> I WOULD SAY NOT QUITE THE
TOP.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A
TOP PRIORITY WITH A FOCUS ON
BUSES AND ACCESS.
WE DID HEAR FROM SOME
STAKEHOLDERS AND DEFINITELY AN
INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> SURE.
>> AND IF I MAY, IT'S IN YOUR
PLAN?
>> YES, YES.
>> OKAY, SO THAT'S THE IMPORTANT
THING THAT IT IS IN YOUR PLAN.
>> YES, YOU'LL SEE THAT.
>> IN ADDITION TO THESE OTHERS.
>> YEAH, SO WE'VE GOT EXISTING
WORK WITH PORT OF SEATTLE, AND
WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON THEIR
CLEAN ENERGY STRATEGIC MASTER
PLAN AS WELL AS WASHINGTON STATE
FERRIES ON THEIR PUSH TO
ELECTRIFY THE FERRIES.
>> GOOD, THANK YOU.
>> SURE.
>> FOR MORE THAN JUST A -- TO
QUICKLY LAYER ON TO THAT -- FOR
MORE THAN JUST A TRANSPORTATION
PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN EMISSIONS
PERSPECTIVE, THE WORK WE'RE
DOING AT THE PORT ON THE SEATTLE
WATERFRONT CLEAN ENERGY
STRATEGIC PLAN REALLY TARGETS A
PLACE WHERE WE HAVE EMISSIONS IN
SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MOST
AFFECTED BY EMISSIONS.
SO THAT'S VERY MUCH A PRIORITY
FOR US.
>> GOOD.
OKAY, I'LL CONTINUE ON HERE.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSIT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FLEETS AND
FLEETS, AS WE'VE SAID, REPRESENT
A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF AIR AND
CARBON EMISSIONS.
A GREAT PLACE TO START AND
ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE HEARD FROM
COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT A WIDE
VARIETY OF MULTIMODAL AREAS FOR
PERSONAL ABILITY.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE REDUCING
BARRIERS TO ACCESS, ESPECIALLY
FOR THOSE IN MULTIUNIT
DWELLINGS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK TO
INCLUDE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES.
COMMUNITIES CAN ENJOY THE
BENEFITS WHERE THEY LIVE IN WORK
WHILE STAYING IN PLACE.
THESE ARE OUR PRIORITIES, AND
WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR
RESOURCE ALLOCATION MATCHES
THESE PRIORITIES AS WE MOVE
TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'RE GOING TO BE BASING THOSE
ON ONGOING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND WE'LL BE INCLUDING FRAMEWORK
FOR HOW THOSE COMUP CANS HOLD US
ACCOUNTABLE.
SO ON THE NEXT AND I BELIEVE ONE
OF THE FINAL SLIDES, YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE HOW SOME OF THE
INITIAL MILESTONES WE'LL ACHIEVE
ACROSS THESE AREAS.
MILESTONES, BASED ON THE
INVESTMENT PRIORITIES FROM THE
LAST SLIDE.
THE PLAN DELIVERS A PROCESS, AND
WE AREN'T AT THE STAGE OF A FULL
PORTFOLIO -- THESE MILESTONES
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE
EXPANDED ON AS WE IMPLEMENT THE
FOUR YEAR PLAN WHICH COVERS 2021
THROUGH 2024.
THE TYPES OF PROGRAM OFFERINGS
ARE GOING TO FIT INTO THREE
MAJOR CATEGORIES, INCENTIVES IN
THE FORMS OF REBATES, FINANCING,
DISCOUNTS FOR CUSTOMER-OWNED
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
EQUIPMENT.
THOSE SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
RATHER THAN THE VEHICLES
THEMSELVES.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO
INCENTIVES, SERVICES.
CITY LIGHT IS GOING TO PROVIDE
SERVICES TO ENCOURAGE AND ENABLE
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION.
AND THEN ONGOING OUTREACH.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT
ALREADY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
NEXT STAGE OF OUTREACH.
SO THE AUTHORITY FOR THIS PLAN
IS GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN CITY
LIGHT'S MINUTE BUDGETS AND IN
ACCORDANCE WITH LAWS AND
LIMITATIONS.
IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO FINANCIAL
BENEFIT FOR OUR CUSTOMER OWNERS,
ESPECIALLY AS THE RETAIL REVENUE
FROM THE NEW SALES ARE EXPECTED
TO BE GREATER THAN THE LONG-TERM
COST TO DELIVER THE PLAN.
THIS WILL LOWER RATES AND
PROVIDE AN OVERALL BENEFIT TO
ALL CUSTOMERS.
I'M GOING TO HAND THE MICROPHONE
BACK TO EMEKA TO TALK ABOUT THIS
SLIDE A LITTLE MORE AND TO WRAP
US UP.
>> THANKS AGAIN, DAVID.
AND SO I WILL TRY TO KIND OF GET
US TO THE FINISH LINE HERE
PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND JUST TO TAKE A CUE FROM MY
COLLEAGUE, DAVID, I WILL ALSO
SAY, LIKE HIM, I AM A SEATTLE
TRANSPLANT.
CAME TO SEATTLE CITY LIGHT ABOUT
TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND LIKE DAVID, YOU KNOW, I CAME
HERE FROM THE MIDWEST BECAUSE I
SAW THE PROMISE OF THIS WORK IN
SEATTLE.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
REALLY LEAD REGIONALLY AND
NATIONALLY IN THIS SPACE.
IN CLOSING, I'LL TIE THE
MILESTONES BACK TO THE TAKEAWAYS
WE STARTED WITH.
WE DO WANT TO LISTEN TO OUR
COMMUNITIES TO SET THE
PRIORITIES.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS AT THE
CORE OF THE PLAN.
YOU SEE THAT IN THAT PINK BAR
TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN.
SO THIS IS REALLY A FEEDBACK
LOOP THAT IS HELPING US
PRIORITIZE WORK AND GOALS ON AN
ONGOING BASIS.
I WOULD URGE FOLKS TO LOOK AT
THESE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OR
PROJECTS THAT ARE MENTIONED
HERE, CERTAINLY NOT AS ALL
INCLUSIVE OR EXHAUSTIVE OF
EVERYTHING WE EXPECT TO DO
WHETHER IN THE FOUR-YEAR WINDOW
OR BEYOND.
IT REALLY IS JUST US HAVING THAT
RIGHT FEEDBACK LOOP WITH OUR
COMMUNITIES TO KNOW WHAT WE
SHOULD BE WORKING ON.
AS SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, OF
COURSE, HAVE POINTED OUT, WE DID
SET A GOAL TO INSTALL DC FAST
CHARGERS.
WE HAVE 16 IN PLACE.
ALL WILL BE ONLINE AS OF
OCTOBER.
AND WE WILL -- WE EXPECT TO
HAVE, WE ARE ON TRACK TO HAVE 21
OF THEM IN PLACE AND ONLINE BY
THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
AND REALLY A LOT OF THAT DELAY
WAS OWING TO THE PANDEMIC AND
SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYS
THAT CAME FROM THAT.
BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT IN DOING THAT WORK
WE WERE INSISTENT THAT WE NOT
SACRIFICE COMMUNITY INPUT IN THE
PROCESS OF DEPLOYING THESE.
SO WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR
COMMUNITIES AND LISTENED TO
THEIR NEEDS EVEN AS WE'VE GONE
THROUGH THE PROCESS AND NOT BEEN
WILLING TO SORT OF FOREGO THAT
FOR -- TO GET A RESULT OR AN
OUTCOME.
SO OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
AROUND TRANSIT REALLY REFLECT
THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK YOU HEARD
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AT KING
COUNTY ABOUT THAT IN THE COMMENT
PERIOD.
AND SO IT'S ALSO OUR COMMITMENT
TO ELECTRIFYING COMMERCIAL,
GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT FLEETS
WHICH ALL DELIVER SUBSTANTIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FOR
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND ARE A
GOOD BANG FOR THE BUCK AND UP
FRONT VALUES.
BUT TRANSIT IS A TOP PRIORITY.
WE DO NEED TO JUST SAY NO TO ONE
TO ONE EV CONVERSION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT INITIAL
COMMITMENT TO ELECTRIFYING
BUSES, FERRIES AS ASKED BY THE
COUNCILMEMBER EARLIER, AND
CERTAINLY OVER PUBLIC TRANSIT IS
A PRIORITY FOR US.
KING COUNTY METRO, LIKE I SAID,
IS A CLOSE PARTNER.
WE ARE BUILDING ON THAT
PARTNERSHIP AND EVOLVING THE
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP AS WE DO
SO.
WE'RE WORKING ON STRONG
PARTNERSHIP AND STRONG
COLLABORATION WITH THE PORT OF
SEATTLE AND HAVE GOOD
RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS
WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE
FERRIES AS WELL.
SO MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS IN
THAT SENSE AND PRIORITIZING
TRANSIT.
AND THEN FINALLY, I CAN'T
EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH THE GRID IS
ESSENTIAL AND CRUCIAL TO
ENABLING FUTURE ELECTRIFICATION.
IT IS THE PLATFORM.
THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS
FROM ELECTRIFICATION, BUT IT CAN
SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE IN PLACES
AND SPOTS ON THE GRID AT THE
REGIONAL SCALE.
SO WE NEED TO MODERNIZE AND
DEVELOP THE GRID OF THE FUTURE
REALLY TO ALLOW FOR, MANAGE AND
MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF
ELECTRIFICATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR GOOD
MODERNIZATION PLAN AND WORK
COMES IN.
YOU SEE THAT IN THE BOTTOM
CENTER OF YOUR SCREEN.
THAT IS A PIVOTAL MILESTONE FOR
US IS TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
THAT WORK WILL BE UNDERTAKEN IN
PARALLEL TO THIS PLAN AND WILL
BE A KEY ENABLER FOR EVERYTHING
THIS PLAN AIMS TO ACHIEVE.
I WOULD SAY ESPECIALLY
MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING EQUITY
IN OUR ENERGY SYSTEM.
WE MUST ALSO EXAMINE AND REWORK
EXISTING POLICIES SO THEY DON'T
STAN IN THE WAY OF OUR CUSTOMER
OWNERS AS THEY MAKE THE CHOICE
TO ELECTRIFY.
THE ONGOING WORK WITH SDOT, OSC
AND OTHERS FOR A MASTER
INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, THAT WILL
SEEK TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESSES
FOR INSTALLING THIS
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
INCLUDING PERMITTING, EASEMENTS
AND INTERCONNECTION AND SERVICE
UPGRADE PROCESSES.
THOSE PROCESS INNOVATIONS WILL
ENABLE EXPEDIENT AND SAFE
INNOVATIONS.
WITH THAT, I THINK I'M TO THE
END OF THE TRANSPORTATION
ELECTRIFICATION AND STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT PLAN SPECIFICS.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I SEE YOU
HAVE A HAND UP.
>> YES.
>> YEAH, GO AHEAD COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU.
EMEKA AND DAVID, THIS IS SUCH A
FANTASTIC PRESENTATION AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
HARD WORK.
FROM THE BACKGROUNDS THAT BOTH
OF YOU HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE
SEATTLE HAS DIFFERENT WEATHER
TODAY, EMEKA, A SUNNY DAY.
AND YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE
CLOUDY.
BOTH OF YOU SAID THAT YOU ARE
TRANSPLANTS TO THE CITY, AND
BEING SOMEBODY THAT'S BORN AND
RAISED IN THE CITY, I CAN SAY
THAT YOU ARE NOW A SEATTLEITE.
IT'S NOT MY -- IT'S NOT FOR ME
TO GIVE YOU, BUT I HAVE TO SAY
THAT THE INTELLECT AND
PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU BRING TO
OUR CITY IS WHAT MAKES US --
WHAT PUTS US ON THE CUTTING
EDGE.
AND SO WE COULDN'T BE DOING THIS
WITHOUT YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD
THAT YOU SAID IS THAT THE
ELECTRIFICATION OF VEHICLES IS A
BENEFIT TO ALL CUSTOMERS.
AND I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
-- RAISE THIS BACK TO THE TOP
AND HIGHLIGHT THIS, BECAUSE WE
KNOW AS ENERGY EFFICIENCY MAKES
GREAT STRIDES, WHETHER IT'S
LIGHT BULBS OR WEATHERIZATION OR
SOLAR PANELS ON PEOPLE'S ROOFS,
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A
GREATER ABILITY TO USE OUR CLEAN
ENERGY.
AND WITH CITY LIGHT BEING A
CARBON NEUTRAL ELECTRIC SOURCE,
THIS HAS -- THIS ALLOWS US TO
HAVE IMMENSE IMPACTS.
AND SO THE ADDITIONAL LOAD FROM
ELECTRICAL VEHICLES BEING ABLE
TO USE THAT LOAD FOR ELECTRICAL
VEHICLES, GRANTED, THERE ARE
EXTERNALITIES OF ELECTRIC
VEHICLES, IT IS OVERALL A BETTER
WAY FOR -- IT IS BETTER TO USE
ELECTRICITY THAN OUR CARBON AND
GASOLINE.
AND SO, I GUESS, ONE OF MY
QUESTIONS IS, LOOKING AT -- AND
YOU BEGAN TO ADDRESS THIS WITH
TRANSIT, WITH THE PORT AND WITH
THE FERRIES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE
BAINBRIDGE ROUTE FROM THE
COLEMAN DOCK WITH WASHINGTON
STATE FERRIES IS ONE PLACE
THEY'RE GOING TO PILOT THEIR
ELECTRIFICATION.
FUN FACT FOR EVERYONE, YOU MAY
OR MAY NOT KNOW THIS.
OUR FERRIES ARE ALREADY ELECTRIC
ENGINES.
THEY USE DIESEL GENERATORS
WITHIN THE FERRIES, WITHIN THE
ENGINE ROOM, TO POWER THEIR
ELECTRIC ENGINES.
AND SOMETHING THAT CITY LIGHT
SHARED WITH ME, WHICH IS REALLY
GREAT, SO THIS IS -- WE CAN'T
TAKE CREDIT FOR UNDERSTANDING
THIS.
IS THAT FROM THE BERTHA DRILLING
THE WATERFRONT TUNNEL WE HAVE A
SUBSTATION ON THE WATERFRONT
THAT CAN USE TO DO FAST CHARGING
OF OUR WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES.
SO TALK -- I GUESS MY QUESTIONS
HERE ARE CAN YOU SPEAK TO
ELECTRIFYING OUR BUS FLEET, HOW
WE'RE DOING THAT.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE, AGAIN, LARGER
BATTERY THAT IS NEED TO BE
CHARGED.
HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TO
ELECTRIFY OUR FERRY FLEET AND
HOW ARE WE GOING TO -- AND
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD TOUCHED ON
THIS ABOUT OUR PORT,
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PORT IS
ALSO MOVING THROUGH AN EXERCISE
TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET, YOU
KNOW, CHARGING -- EXTENDING THE
GRID OVER TO THE TERMINAL IN
INTERBAY.
CAN YOU TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
THESE THREE AREAS, HOW ARE WE
WORKING TO QUICKLY ELECTRIFY OUR
BUS FLEET?
HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING WASHINGTON
STATE FERRIES AT COLMAN DOCK,
AND HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR
PORT.
>> I'D LOVE TO JUMP IN ON THAT
FIRST, EMEKA.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT
QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE GOT TRANSIT AS A KEY
PRIORITY AND YOU SAY SOME OF THE
MILESTONES, WE HAD THAT
DISCUSSION EARLIER.
THESE LARGE TRANSIT CUSTOMERS
WHO ARE SEEKING TO ELECTRIFY,
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE
SOME OF THE BIGGEST POTENTIAL
IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTS AND
COMMUNITIES AND THE OVERALL
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
THAT CAN MEAN THEY HAVE THE
BIGGEST IMPACT ON THE GRID AND
WE HAVE TO EXTENSIVELY PLAN TO
MEET THOSE LARGE ADDITIONAL
LOADS COMING OVER THE GRID.
SO FOR THAT REASON, WE WANT TO
PARTNER WITH THESE CUSTOMERS AS
EARLY AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY
LARGE CUSTOMERS, TO WORK WITH
THEM TO SHAPE LONG-TERM PLANS
AROUND ELECTRIFICATION.
YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE DIFFERENT
CUSTOMERS, BUT KING COUNTY METRO
WE'VE GOT A MEMORANDUM OF
AGREEMENT FROM THEM ON THEIR
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WE'LL KEEP WORKING WITH THEM
TO EXPLORE HOW THAT LOAD SHOWS
UP ON THE GRID AND EXPLORE
STRATEGIES THAT CAN MINIMIZE THE
LOAD ON THE GRID.
THINGS LIKE HOW DO THEY BUILD
OUT THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT
HOW DO THEY COORDINATE CHARGING
IN A BUS DEPOT TO NOT PLACE
MAXIMUM STRAIN ON THE GRID WHICH
MEANS BUILDING UP MAXIMUM
CAPACITY.
WE WANT TO BUILD EFFICIENTLY BY
WORKING WITH THEM.
WE'VE ALSO GOT CLOSE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PORT OF
SEATTLE THAT WE MENTIONED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE HOPE TO REACH A SIMILAR
AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH KING
COUNTY METRO.
WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
PORT TO SHAPE -- HELP SHAPE
THEIR FUTURE ELECTRIFICATION
PLANS AND DO THAT IN THE MOST
EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU MENTIONED
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES, WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS,
YOU HAVE LOADS SHOWING UP IN
SIMILAR GEOGRAPHY.
PORT OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
STATE FERRIES, POTENTIALLY SOME
OF THE BUS CHARGING, HEAVY DUTY
CHARGING, SO WE HAVE TO PLAN
BASED ON EXISTING CAPACITY.
BUT THIS TIES BACK TO GRID
MODERNIZATION.
FOR WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES,
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A PLAN FOR
INITIAL CAPACITY FOR FERRY
CHARGING, BUT WE WANT TO LOOK AT
THE LONG TERM AND LOOK AT IT
HOLISTICALLY.
AND MANAGE THOSE STRAINS ON THE
GRID.
WE WANT TO DO THAT IN THE MOST
COST EFFECTIVE WAY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN
MANAGE FUTURE LOAD GROWTHS IN
NONTRADITIONAL WAYS.
SO YOU CAN DO, IN A LOT OF
CASES, WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED
NONWIRES ALTERNATIVES WHERE
YOU'RE PUTTING RESOURCES INTO
PLACE AT LOWER COST.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CLOSELY
EXPLORING.
>> YEAH, THANKS, DAVID.
I'LL QUICKLY LAYER ON TO THAT TO
EMPHASIZE A POINT DAVID MADE IN
THERE, WHICH IS THAT A BIG PART
OF THE PRIORITY HERE IS
INNOVATING THE CUSTOMER
RELATIONSHIP.
THE CLOSE AND EARLY PARTNERSHIP
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE
FERRIES, WITH KING COUNTY METRO,
WITH THE PORT OF SEATTLE ARE NOT
NECESSARILY YOUR TRADITIONAL
UTILITY/CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP.
BUT WE'RE INNOVATING THAT
RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE IT IS
NECESSARY.
YOU KNOW, I'M SORT OF
CLASSICALLY TRAINED AS AN
ENGINEER.
THAT'S HOW I STARTED MY CAREER.
I'M A SYSTEM THINKER.
IT'S SYSTEMIC, THAT STRUCTURAL
CHANGE THAT'S GOING TO ENABLE
THE BENEFITS WE'RE SEEKING TO
ACHIEVE HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD RAISED
THIS AS WELL.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE
TO OUR MARITIME CUSTOMERS AND
HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM IN THIS
WORK?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT
BEGINS, LIKE I SAID, IN TERMS OF
SORT OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT
THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AND
FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE WORK WITH
THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN
ACCOMPLISH AGGRESSIVE GOALS AND
THEY CAN BE AS AGGRESSIVE AS
THEY WANT TO BE WITH THOSE GOALS
WHILE MAKING SURE WE DON'T HAVE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF
STRANDED ASSETS OR OTHER SORT OF
RELIABILITY OR STABILITY ISSUES
ON THE GRID.
BECAUSE, AGAIN, THOSE THINGS ULT
MATLY IMPACT ALL OF OUR CUSTOMER
WHO IS OWN THE GRID TOGETHER.
WE WANT TO AVOID THAT.
BUT THE KIND OF DEEP PARTNERSHIP
-- AND I REALLY APPRECIATED
HEARING FROM OUR COLLEAGUE AT
KING COUNTY THIS MORNING,
BECAUSE REALLY THAT SPEAKS TO
SORT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP AND
THAT DEEP PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE ON
A VERY TECHNICAL AND GRANULAR
LEVEL TO ACHIEVE BETTER OUTCOMES
ON THE BACK END.
DOBORA, PLEASE.
>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY
WITH MARSHALL FOSTER FROM THE
OFFICE OF THE WATERFRONT AND
EARLY ON, WE MADE A STRONG
COMMITMENT AS A CITY THAT WE
WOULD WORK CROSS-DEPARTMENTALLY
TO MAKE SURE THE WATERFRONT WAS
-- THAT ALL OF THE MARITIME
ACTIVITY COMING IN AND OUT OF
THE WATERFRONT WAS CLEARLY IN
OUR MIND BOTH IN TERMS OF
CURRENT ELECTRIFICATION, BUT
ALSO IN TERMS OF INFRASRUCTURE
THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME.
CERTAINLY, THE CRUISE INDUSTRY
AND THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE
DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW WITH
RESPECT TO -- AS A RESULT OF
COVID PERHAPS CHANGED THE
TIMELINE ON THAT.
BUT IN NO WAY HAS THE COMMITMENT
TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THAT
DEPARTMENT, THAT CITY DEPARTMENT
AND OTHERS, INCLUDING SDOT, THAT
HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS REALLY AN EXCELLENT
ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS.
EMEKA, SOMETHING YOU SAID IS THE
GRID IS THE PLATFORM AND WE NEED
TO MAXIMIZE OUR BENEFITS.
I WAS WATCHING AWARD-WINNING
SEATTLE CHANNEL LAST NIGHT ABOUT
SOME OF THE FIRST WHEN
SNOQUALMIE FALLS WAS HAVING ITS
POWER INSTALLED, IT WAS THE
FIRST UNDERGROUND POWERHOUSE IN
THE NATION.
THERE WERE SOME POWERHOUSES THAT
WERE PUT IN IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE BECAUSE AT THAT TIME
WITHOUT THE ALTERNATING CURRENT
ELECTRICITY COULD ONLY TRAVEL A
MILE AT A TIME.
SO SOME OF THE POWERHOUSES THAT
WERE ON THE WATERFRONT,
SEATTLEITES WORRIED THEY SHOULD
HAVE PUT THOSE GENERATING
STATIONS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY WOULD
HAVE TO PUMP THE ELECTRICITY
UPHILL.
INTERESTING HOW LACK OF
INFORMATION SOMETIMES INFLUENCES
HOW PEOPLE THINK.
I GUESS I JUST WANT TO COME BACK
TO WHAT EMEKA WAS SAYING, WHICH
IS THE GRID IS THE PLATFORM.
AND YOU SHARED THE MICRO GRIDS
AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE DON'T
OVERLOAD OUR OVERALL GRID AS WE
MAKE SOME OF THESE TRANSITIONS.
AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT THAT PROCESS INNOVATION IS
WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP US AT THE
CUTTING EDGE.
AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND
COMPLIMENT YOU AND RAISE UP YOUR
WORK FOR -- THAT YOU'RE DOING
HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
DISCUSSED IS THE MULTIPLE
SERVICES FOR ONE CHARGING PLACE,
AND YOU ALSO KIND OF TALKED
ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE FERRIES,
THE CRUISE AND THE BUSES, CAN
YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AND
HOW -- AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAVE A
CUSTOMER THAT HAS A BUILDING,
LET'S SAY IT'S A McDONALD
DONALDS, CAN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE MULTIPLE
SERVICES FOR ONE STATION.
>> AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
I THINK THAT'S A NICE SEGUE TO
THE NEXT SLIDE AND THE NEXT ITEM
ON THE AGENDA, ITEM THREE, WHICH
IS A DRAFT COUNCIL BILL RIGHT
NOW.
AND THEY'RE READY TO GO WITH
THAT SLIDE.
IS IT OKAY IF WE DIVE INTO THAT
OH, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS NEXT
PIECE OF LEGISLATION?
>> I DID WANT TO ASK A SPECIFIC
QUESTION AROUND THE PRIORITIES.
I DIDN'T SEE WORKING WITH OUR
SOLID WASTE CONTRACTORS THROUGH
SPU TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSION
OF GARBAGE AND RECYCLING FLEETS
TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT
THAT IS AN ELEMENT IN 2 PLANS
SINCE THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
INITIATIVE THAT SPU HAS BEGUN.
AND WE WANT TO SEE MORE OF THOSE
ELECTRIC TRUCKS.
>> THAT SUPPORT IS GOING BE
ONGOING, AND IT'LL BE CONSIDERED
UNDER, I WOULD SAY, THE FLEET
CATEGORY.
AND I THINK WE MAYBE JUST FAILED
TO CALL IT OUT ON THIS
PARTICULAR INTOTO GRAPHIC.
>> THIS DEALS WITH THE
RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE THAT GO
TOGETHER, AS ERIC MENTIONED.
AND SEATTLE CITY LIGHT IS
PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON
ANOTHER COUNCIL BILL THAT WILL
GO DIRECTLY TO THE FULL COUNCIL
ON OCTOBER 5.
AND IT'S ALL PART OF THIS
PACKAGE.
AND SO THIS SLIDE HERE SPEAKS TO
THAT.
SO GENERAL MANAGER SMITH, DID
YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS SINGLE
SITE, SINGLE SERVICE ISSUE?
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY
LET EMEKA DO THAT BECAUSE THIS
HAS BEEN -- THIS WAS A THING FOR
ME.
I THINK IT CAME UP IN THE
COMMENTS, I AND KNOW IT'S
SOMETHING THAT -- I THINK IT
EVEN CAME UP IN A QUESTION FROM
THE COUNCILMEMBERS.
WE AS A CITY, WE HAD A GOAL THAT
WAS SET IN 2017 ABOUT THE NUMBER
OF PUBLICLY OWNED CHARGING
STATIONS.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF EVEN IN THIS WE'RE
LOOKING AT A FOUR-YEAR WINDOW,
AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS WILL
BE AVAILABLE TO US IN YEARS
THREE AND FOUR ARE THINGS I
PROPOSED THAT WE CAN'T THINK OF
THEM TODAY.
SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN
DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK THAT EXTEND
INTO THE FUTURE, BUT THE
TECHNOLOGIES ARE CHANGING AND
DEVELOPING AND EVOLVING SO
RAPIDLY THAT PART OF IT IS THE
NEED TO BE VERY AGILE.
SO IN THE CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE SPACE, THAT'S
ALSO TRUE.
THERE WAS A TIME FOR US WHERE WE
REALLY NEEDED TO BE THE ONE
PUTTING IN CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE.
SINCE THEN, THE PRIVATE SECTOR
HAS A VERY STRONG INTEREST IN
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S GOOD FOR SEATTLE.
AND THAT HAPPENS BOTH IN TERMS
OF CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, I
THINK AS YOU HEARD LAST WEEK,
IT'S DUE IN TERMS OF 5G ROLL
OUT.
ONE OF OUR GOALS AS A CITY IS TO
MAKE IT MORE -- MAKE IT EASIER
AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE
THOSE DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES
OR ONE OF THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THE CITY HAS BEEN VOLKSWAGEN
DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY -- WRAPPED
MY HEAD AROUND THIS.
AND WE WERE STRUGGLING.
I ASKED EMEKA, QUITE HONESTLY,
AND HE HAD MOVED ON FROM HIS
JOB.
HE HAD DONE A STINT AS THE
ENGINEERING OFFICER.
HE MOVED ON INTO THIS NEW SPACE.
AND I SAID, CAN YOU GET RID OF
THIS HURDLE THAT EVERYONE IS
HAVING TO JUMP OVER AND THAT I
HAVE TO HAVE MEETINGS ABOUT?
AND IT WAS A LOT HARDER THAN WE
THOUGHT, BUT I THINK IT IS --
IT'S A HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE, BUT
IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO US.
SO I'M GOING TO LET EMEKA TALK
ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T BE
HERE WITHOUT HIM.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, DEBRA, I
APPRECIATE VERY GRACIOUS WORDS.
I THINK I CAN'T OVEREMPHASIZE
HOW MUCH OF A TEAM EFFORT THIS
WAS WITH OUR ENGINEERING FOLKS
AND OPERATIONS FOLKS AND OTHERS
TO KIND OF PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I'LL BE REALLY QUICK WITH THIS
AND IT GETS TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS' QUESTION AS WELL.
THE SINGLE SITE, SINGLE SERVICE
PROVISION IS A PROVISION OF OUR
-- OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE THAT
SORT OF INITIALLY WAS PUT IN
PLACE.
IT WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE FOR
SAFETY FOR OUR CREWS AND FOR THE
PUBLIC AND FIRST RESPONDERS BY
AVOIDING MULTIPLE SOURCES OF
ENERGY BASICALLY TO A SINGLE
SITE.
NOW, IT'S SORT OF OVER THE YEARS
TAKEN ON A CHARACTER WHERE IT'S
SORT OF DEVELOPED THIS CLOAK YAL
NAME, ONE SITE, ONE SERVICE.
AND IT BECOMES A BARRIER AND,
FRANKLY, A BRICK WALL AT TIMES
FOR SOME OF OUR DEVELOPERS.
ONE IS PRIVATE ELECTRIC VEHICLE
CHARGING DEVELOPERS, WHERE THEY
ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE ENERGY
THEY NEED FROM THE GRID BECAUSE
OF THEIR LOCATION ON A SITE THAT
ALREADY HAS POWER.
AND THE REALITY IS, OF COURSE,
THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO PROVIDE
FOR THAT WITHOUT SORT OF
CREATING ANY SAFETY ISSUES OR
FOR THE PUBLIC OR FOR FIST
RESPONDERS.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SORT OF
PROPOSED THIS AMENDMENT TO THIS
MUNICIPAL CODE LANGUAGE THAT
SORT OF CLARIFIES THAT CITY
LIGHT HAS THE DISCRETION USING
GOOD ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL
JUDGEMENT TO FIND WAYS TO
SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH MORE
THAN ONE SOURCE ON A SITE WHEN
NECESSARY.
SO YOU KNOW, TO US THIS IS
REALLY SORT OF A FIRST STEP, BUT
THIS IS THE KIND OF SORT OF NUTS
AND BOLTS STUFF WE'RE GOING HAVE
TO DO IN LOTS OF PLACES TO
ENABLE THIS NEW FUTURE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE POINT
THAT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS WAS
MAKING EARLIER ABOUT JUST SORT
OF THE DYNAMICNESS OF HOW WE
ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THESE
NEEDS WHEN THEY COME AND THAT WE
ARE BEING MULTIPLE, REALLY, WITH
OUR SOLUTIONS AND NOT -- TRYING
TO BE EFFICIENT AND TRY TO
OPTIMIZE VALUE BY FINDING
MULTIPLE USES AND REALLY
THINKING ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE
OF THE GRID IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
REALLY IS WHAT SERVES TO GET US
WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO WITH
ELECTRIFICATION.
IT REALLY ISN'T ABOUT SORT OF
BUILDING OUT TRADITIONAL FIXED
ASSETS LIKE WE'VE DONE
HISTORICALLY BUT REALLY THINKING
ABOUT THAT ARCHITECTURE
DIFFERENTLY.
AND SO WE THINK THIS IS A REALLY
GOOD STEP.
IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN WELL
RECEIVED BY THE PROVIDERS WE
WORK WITH.
WE WORK WITH EB GO AND ELECTRIFY
AMERICA, WHICH IS THE EXECUTION
ARM OF THE VW SETTLEMENT THAT
DEBRA MENTIONED.
AND HAD REALLY GOOD RESPONSES SO
FAR TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO
YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO, IF ANYBODY IS
LISTENING FROM THE PUGET RIDGE
CO-HOUSING GROUP IN WEST
SEATTLE, SPECIFICALLY STU, THIS
WAS AN ISSUE THAT THEY RAISED
WITH ME LAST YEAR.
IT'S A CO-HOUSING SITE.
THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 25, 30
DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS LIVING
THERE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A CHARGING
STATION.
AND IT WAS CONSIDERED ONE SITE
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HOME TO A
COUPLE DOZEN, MORE THAN THAT,
HOUSEHOLDS.
AND SO SEATTLE CITY LIGHT WAS
SUPER HELPFUL.
THEY HELPED THEM PURSUE A
VARIANCE TO THE ONE SITE, ONE
SERVICE POLICY, BUT WHAT I
REALLY APPRECIATE THERE, THEIR
EFFORTS KIND OF PUSHING THIS
ISSUE FORWARD AND HELPING TO
MAKE IT REALLY OBVIOUS THAT WE
NEED TO GO SORT OF BEYOND A
PATHWAY FOR VARIANCE TO THE
POLICY BUT WE NEEDED TO TAKE
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE POLICY
ITSELF.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST REITERATE,
THIS DEFINITELY HAS BEEN NEAR
AND DEAR TO ME IN TERMS OF DOING
THIS WORK.
AND I'LL POINT OUT THAT THIS IS
ACTUALLY PART OF A TWO PRONGED
APPROACH.
THE OTHER THING WE'VE DONE IS
ALTERED OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR
ELECTRIC SERVICE CONNECTION,
WHICH IS SORT OF A STANDARDS
DOCUMENT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE
FOR DEVELOPERS TO INCORPORATE
THIS AS OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE'VE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP ON
OUR SIDE, SORT OF OUR PROCEDURAL
SIDE, AND THEN THIS MUNICIPAL
CODE SORT OF UPDATE IS THE
SECOND STEP OF THAT.
>> AND ELECTRIFICATION ASIDE,
ALTHOUGH IT'S, I THINK, A VERY
IMPORTANT DRIVING PRINCIPLE FOR
THIS NEW POLICY, I'M WONDERING
-- I UNDERSTAND THE ONE SITE,
ONE SERVICE ISSUE WAS A BARRIER
NOT TO JUST ESTABLISHING
ELECTRIFICATION STATIONS BUT
ALSO IN THE PERMITTING OF
DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNITS.
WILL THIS CHANGE ALSO HELP WITH
THAT ISSUE AS WELL?
>> YEAH, WE EXPECT IT TO BE
HELPFUL WITH THAT ISSUE.
WE EXPECT IT TO BE HELPFUL EVEN
WITH SOME OF THE 5G
INSTALLATIONS.
THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES WHERE
THIS HELPS BECAUSE IT
ACKNOWLEDGES A MUCH MORE DYNAMIC
GRID ARCHITECTURE THAN, YOU
KNOW, THAT EXISTS TODAY AS
COMPARED TO HISTORICALLY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE FIRST TWO ITEMS THAT
WE'LL ACTUALLY BE VOTING ON NOW,
RESOLUTION 31971 WHICH HAS THE
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN
ATTACHED TO IT.
AND THEN THE ENABLING ORDINANCE,
COUNCIL BILL 119895, KNOWING
THAT THIS -- THE LAST PIECE THAT
WE JUST DISCUSSED WILL BE COMING
DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL ON OCTOBER
5, BUT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON
THE RESOLUTION, THE ORDINANCE,
THE FIRST ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT BEFORE WE MAKE MOTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
I'M JUST INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT
CITY LIGHT'S RESPONSE IS TO MUCH
OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT WE
HEARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
MEETING RELATED TO THE NEED FOR
MORE BENCHMARKS AND TIMELINES IN
THE PLAN.
JUST WONDERING WHAT YOUR
THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT THAT REQUEST
FROM THE PUBLIC.
>> SO I'LL MAYBE TAKE A STAB AT
THAT FIRST, AND IF DEBRA OR
DAVID WANT TO JUMP IN, THEY CAN.
BUT I WILL JUST SAY, WE
RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE,
CERTAINLY, THOSE CONCERNS.
IT'S IMPORTANT REALLY TO POINT
OUT THAT THIS -- WHAT WE'VE
BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY IS THE
FIRST STEP IN THAT WORK, RIGHT?
IN ORDER TO GET TO THE KIND OF
AMBITIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE GOALS
THAT THE COMMENTERS HAVE TALKED
ABOUT, WE HAVE TO START.
AND THIS IS THAT START.
WE THINK, CERTAINLY, AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT, MOVING INTO THE
SECOND PHASE OF OUR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, WE'LL LEAD PRETTY
RAPIDLY.
WE ARE PREPARED AND GEARED UP TO
START THAT OUTREACH PRETTY MUCH
AS SOON AS THIS IS APPROVED AND
SO LATER THIS YEAR AND INTO
EARLY NEXT YEAR WE EXPECT TO
BEGIN TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC
PROGRAM OFFERINGS AND IDEAS THAT
WE HAVE IN COLLABORATION WITH
OUR COMMUNITIES TO BEGIN
DEVELOPING AN IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.
SO WE WANT TO GET STARTED HERE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, BUT
WE CERTAINLY -- WE'RE RIGHT WITH
THEM ON THE URGENCY TO MEET THE
CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS.
>> SO ARE YOU COMMITTING TO US
TODAY THAT THE NEXT PHASE OF THE
PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THAT MORE
LEVEL OF DETAIL ON BENCHMARKS
AND GOALS?
THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED IN
THIS NEXT STAGE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I'M CERTAINLY -- AND I SEE MY
BOSS NODDING WITH ME IN THE
BACKGROUND, RIGHT?
I THINK WE ARE ALL IN LOCK STEP
ABOUT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WHAT WE
EXPECT TO FOLLOW.
AND AGAIN, PRETTY RAPIDLY, WE'VE
GEARED UP TO START RIGHT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD FOR ASKING THAT
QUESTION.
I HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
AND I WANT TO THANK THOSE
SPEAKERS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO
REVIEW THE PLAN AND CALL US AND
TO BE CONSTANTLY PUSHING EVEN
THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE --
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT IS THE BEST
AND AHEAD OF SO MANY THINGS.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP
PUSHING.
SO THANKS FOR THOSE CALLERS, AND
THANKS.
GENERAL MANAGER SMITH?
>> THANK YOU.
JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I AGREE WITH YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE INPUT.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST TWO YEARS
AND WE ARE VERY MUCH PIVOTING IN
OUR CULTURE TO BE MORE RESULTS
DRIVEN, YOU KNOW, ADOPTION OF
CLEAR ACTION PLANS WITH CLEAR
IDEAS OF WHAT WERE CLEARLY
DEFINED FOR HOW TO MEASURE
SUCCESS.
SO THAT'S TRUE HERE AS DAVID AND
EMEKA AND THE REST OF THE TEAM,
VICTOR, ARE DEVELOPING THE
ACTUAL PROGRAMS THAT WE'LL BE
ROLLING OUT TO CUSTOMERS.
THEY WILL ALL HAVE DEFINED
SUCCESS MEASURES ATTACHED TO
THEM WITH TARGETS.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBERS, ANY FINAL
QUESTIONS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE
ON THESE ITEMS?
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
31971, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE
RESOLUTION.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS
RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED?
>> GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
MORALES, FIND YOUR MUTE?
>> SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO STEP
AWAY FOR A MOMENT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
WE HAVE FOUR YES AND NO
OPPOSITION.
>> THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THE RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED WILL
BE SENT TO THE OCTOBER 5 CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.
AND COUNCILMEMBERS, I NOW MOVE
THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF THE COUNCIL BILL
11995 WHICH ACCOMPANIES THIS.
IS FROM A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILGE.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
SEEING NO FINAL COMMENTS, WILL
THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THIS BILL PASS?
>> GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> FOUR AYES, NO OPPOSITION.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES, AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THE BILL PASS WILL BE SENT TO
THE OCTOBER 5 CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
NOW, ITEM THREE ON THE AGENDA WE
ALSO JUST TALKED ABOUT AND WAS
PART OF THE POWERPOINT
PRESENTATION SLIDE NUMBER NINE.
THAT COUNCIL BILL WILL BE GOING
DIRECTLY TO THE FULL COUNCIL AS
PART OF THIS FULL PACKAGE ON
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM
FOUR ON OUR AGENDA.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
FOUR INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 119899, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE CITY
LIGHT
DEPARTMENT, AMENDING SECTION
21.49.125 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, UPDATING THE
CITY LIGHT DEPARTMENTb
ACCESS TRANSMISSION TARIFF AND
RATES TO MEET CHANGES IN COSTS
AND REGULATIONS
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU, AND AS USUAL,
WE'LL OPEN IT UP IF ERIC FROM
OUR CENTRAL STAFF HAS ANY
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, OTHERWISE,
WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO GENERAL
MANAGER SMITH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, THANK YOU FOR
ASKING.
I DON'T HAVE ANY INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS, AND I'M ALL EARS.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
GENERAL MANAGER SMITH, PLEASE
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
THIS IS A TECHNICAL ITEM.
IT'S ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING,
AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND
A BIT OF EDUCATION ABOUT THE
TRANSMISSION ASSETS THE CITY
OWNS.
JUST A CONNECTION BACK, SO WE
TALK ABOUT THE GRID AND,
CERTAINLY, FOR SEATTLE MUCH OF
THE GRID THAT WE THINK ABOUT IS
OUR DISTRIBUTION GRID.
IT'S THE WAY WE ARE SERVING
BUSINESSES, HOMES, INDUSTRIAL
CUSTOMERS, AND THAT IS GENERALLY
DISTRIBUTION LEVEL VOLTAGE,
CONDUIT THAT MEETS THOSE NEEDS.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
WE HAVE VERY LARGE CUSTOMERS
WHERE THEY ARE SERVED AT A
HIGHER VOLTAGE AND THAT'S
NORMAL.
AND WE ALSO OWN TRANSMISSION,
PARTICULARLY FROM OUR SKAGIT
PROJECT, THAT'S THE FOCUS OF
THIS DISCUSSION.
I HAVE TO SAY ONE THING BECAUSE
I'M SURPRISED THAT EMEKA DIDN'T
SAY IT.
A LONG TIME AGO, I AM NOT AN
ENGINEER, SO I TEND TO THINK
ABOUT THINGS IN A NONTECHNICAL
WAY.
USUALLY WHEN HE DOES A TALK HE
TALKS ABOUT THE PHONE, BECAUSE I
MADE THE ANALOGY THAT OUR
SMARTPHONES ARE THE GRID.
THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION THAT
ALLOWS US TO DO ALL KINDS OF
COOL THINGS IN OUR LIVES.
AND I KNOW THAT, LIKE ME, I'M
SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE
CONTEMPLATED WHAT LIFE WOULD BE
LIKE RIGHT NOW IF WE DID NOT
HAVE SMART DEVICES AND/OR ACCESS
TO THE INTERNET.
SO WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS AS
A UTILITY COMPANY IS TO PROVIDE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS
OTHERS TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
WILL, CREATE APPS THAT RIDE ON
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF
LIFE.
CERTAINLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
AND PROBABLY SOME OF YOU HAVE
ATTENDED MEETINGS OR CONFERENCES
THAT TALK ABOUT SMART CITIES,
AND SMART CITY APPLICATIONS ALL
RELY ON THE GRID, TYPICALLY, AS
THE WAY OF FUELLING AND MOVING A
SMART CITY FORWARD.
SO THIS, AGAIN, IS A PRICING
DISCUSSION BECAUSE WHEN A CITY
HAS EXCESS CAPACITY IN
CITY-OWNED INFRASTRUCTURE, IT
MAKES SENSE TO GET THE MOST
VALUE FROM THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE DO DO THAT WITH RESPECT TO
OUR TRANSMISSION.
AND THIS IS THE -- THIS
PRESENTATION IS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT HOW WE CHARGE CUSTOMERS
OTHER THAN OURSELVES WHO MIGHT
RIDE ON THAT PORTION OF THE
GRID.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO JIM BAGGS FOR JUST A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE.
AND I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW
JIM.
AND HE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY
QUITE A WHILE AND HAS SERVED IN
DIFFERENT ROLES.
THIS IS REALLY THE AREA WHERE
JIM IS -- HAS EXTREME EXPERTISE.
AND SO IT'S WAY TOO GEEKY FOR
ME, JIM?
>> FOR THE GEEKY PART, THANK
YOU, DEBRA.
AND I'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE WORDS
AND THEN INTRODUCE MELISSA
SKELTON WHO'S GOING TO DO THE
BULK OF THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT A LITTLE BIT PILING ON TO
WHAT DEBRA SAID AND EMEKA SAID
EARLIER, I COULDN'T HELP BUT
THINK THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE GRID
IS A PLATFORM CONVERSATION THAT
WE'VE HAD GOING ON HERE IS THAT
IS SO TRUE ON A LOCAL LEVEL AND
AROUND SEATTLE AND EVERYTHING
THAT WAS SAID LEADING UP TO THIS
POINT TOO.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
LOST ON MOST OF THE PUBLIC, AND
IT IS KIND OF A GEEKY SORT OF
THING, IS THAT THE WESTERN
UNITED STATES AND PART OF CANADA
AND NORTHERN MEXICO IS ALL ONE
BIG ELECTRIC MACHINE, AND IT'S
ALL INTERCONNECTED PHYSICALLY,
AND THERE ARE COMMERCIAL
TRANSACTIONS AS WELL.
SO EVEN THOUGH NO ONE REALLY
SEES IT VERY MUCH, EVERY HOUR OF
EVERY DAY OUR CUSTOMERS AND THE
CITIZENS OF SEATTLE ARE
BENEFITING FROM THIS
INTERCONNECTEDNESS THAT WE HAVE
WITH THE REST OF THE WEST.
AND THIS TRANSMISSION OPEN
ACCESS TARIFF IS JUST ONE PIECE
OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE MANAGE
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT
THE WEST.
AND AS DEBRA SAID, SOME OF THE
COMMERCIAL PRACTICES WITH OTHER
CUSTOMERS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT EVEN THOUGH
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TERRIBLY
VISIBLE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL INTRODUCE
MELISSA SKELTON FROM OUR
REGULATORY AFFAIRS AREA AND IS
GOING TO RUN THROUGH THIS
PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, JIM.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN PEDERSEN,
VICE CHAIR STRAUSS,
COUNCILMEMBERS GONZALEZ, HERBOLD
AND MORALES.
MY NAME IS MELISSA SKELTON AND
JIM NOTED I WORK IN THE
REGULATORY AFFAIRS OFFICE.
JOINING ME TODAY IS CATHY LEONE
WOODS, A DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY
AFFAIRS.
AND WE ARE PLEADED TO BE HERE
TODAY TO PRESENT OUR UPDATE TO
OUR OPEN TRANSMISSION TARIFF OR
OAT.
I WILL BE THE ONE PROVIDING THE
PRESENTATION AND CATHY AND I ARE
BOTH AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS.
I'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO WHAT AN
OAT IS TO SET THE STAGE FOR
UNDERSTANDING THE LEGISLATION.
WHICH IS, LIKE NOTED A TECHNICAL
BILL UPDATING WHAT WAS APPROVED
BY THE COUNCIL BACK IN 2009.
THEN I WILL PROVIDE YOU A
HISTORY OF THE OAT, UPDATED TO
REFLECT INDUSTRY RATE AND THE
BUSINESS NEEDS OF CITY LIGHT.
THEN I WILL HIGH LIKE THE KEY
POLICY AFFIRMATIONS AND
PROVISIONS TO THIS 2020 OAT
UPDATE, INCLUDING WHOLESALE
TRANSMISSION RATES.
AND I WILL CONCLUDE WITH A FEW
COMMENTS ABOUT THE INTERNAL OAT
IMPLEMENTATION AT CITY LIGHT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MAURA.
GREAT, THANK YOU.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T
SPEND THE DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE
DEPTHS OF TRANSMISSION TARIFFS
LIKE I DO AND CATHY DOES, A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS.
SO AN OPEN ACCESS TRANSMISSION
TARIFF GOVERNS HOW OTHERS CAN
TRANSMIT ELECTRICITY BETWEEN
POINTS ON OUR TRANSMISSION
SYSTEM AND LINES.
SO OATS WERE CREATED TO ENABLE
CHOICE OF GENERATION AND UTILITY
PROVIDERS AND TO ENSURE THAT
TRANSMISSION WAS NOT A BARRIER
TO THAT.
SO THE OAT IS THE SUITE OF
UNIFORM TEMPLATE OR PRO FORMA
FOR LEGAL BEAGLES ACROSS THE
UTILITY INDUSTRY.
THEY REQUIRE TRANSMISSION OWNERS
TO PROVIDE OPEN, COMPARABLE AND
NONDISCRIMINATORY ACCESS ON
SYSTEMS TO WHOLESALE
TRANSMISSION CUSTOMERS FOR THE
INTERCONNECTION OF GENERATION.
THE OAT DEFINES THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF THAT TRANSMISSION
SERVICE.
AND AS NOTED EARLIER,
TRANSMISSION FOR OUR PURPOSES
HERE GENERALLY MEANS LINES THAT
ARE RATED 115 KV AND ABOVE FOR
THE LONGER DISTANCE TRANSMISSION
OF ELECTRICITY.
SO FOR CITY LIGHT, THAT MEANS,
AS DEBRA NOTED, OUR TRANSMISSION
LINES, FOR EXAMPLE, LEADING UP
TO OUR HYDRO PROJECTS, LIKE AT
SKAGIT, AND ALSO EAST SIDE
LINES.
SO FOR YOUR AWARENESS, ELIGIBLE
CUSTOMERS WHO COULD TAKE
WHOLESALE TRANSMISSION SERVICE
UNDER THIS TARIFF ARE OTHER
ELECTRIC YOU TILLS SUCH AS PUGET
SOUND ENERGY OR SNOHOMISH PUD
AND FEDERAL POWER OR MARKETING
AGENCIES, ANY ENTITY CREATING
ENERGY FOR SALE OR RETAIL.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MAURA.
OKAY GREAT.
BRIEF BACKGROUND OF CITY LIGHT'S
OAT AND HOW WE GOT TO HOW WHERE
WE ARE TODAY.
IN 2000, THE REGULATORY
COMMISSION OPENED INQUIRIES
EXAMINING THE FEDERAL POWER ACT,
SPECIFICALLY THE OPEN ACCESS
TRANSMISSION SERVICE.
SO THE FEDERAL REGULATOR
RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE
RELIABILITY OF INTERSTATE
TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY.
THEY EXAMINED TRANSMISSION
TARIFFS TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT
UNDO DISCRIMINATION OR
PREFERENCE IN SERVICES AND THAT
THE SERVICES AND RATES WERE JUST
AND REASONABLE.
SO THIS AND OTHER EFFORTS AT
THAT TIME STEM FROM ISSUES
SURROUNDING THE ENERGY CRISIS.
SO AT THAT TIME, CITY LIGHT AND
OTHER PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES
LIKE US CAME TO AN AGREEMENT
THAT WE WOULD ADMINISTER AN OAT
LIKE THE PRO FORMA THAT REQUIRED
A RATE REGULATED INVESTOR OWNED
UTILITIES LIKE PUGET.
SO WE ESTABLISHED OUR FIRST OAT
IN 2009 WITH COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.
OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS SINCE
THEY'VE FIRST ESTABLISHED ITS
FORMAL OAT, THERE HAVE BEEN
SEVERAL UPDATES TO THEIR
PROVISIONS.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS SINCE
2015, CITY LIGHT HAS BEEN
REVIEWING THOSE UPDATES TO THE
PRO FORMA, LED BY REGULATORY
AFFAIRS, BUT ALSO WITH INPUT
ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION FROM
ENGINEERING, FINANCE, POWER
MANAGEMENT, SYSTEM OPERATIONS,
RISK MANAGEMENT, LEGAL AND
OTHERS.
IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION, WE ALSO HIRED TWO
CONSULTANTS.
ONE LEGAL REVIEW WITH A PUBLIC
POWER EMPHASIS AND ONE RATES
REVIEW WITH A DEEP HISTORY IN
ESTABLISHING OAT'S METHODOLOGY
AND RATES.
OTHER PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES,
REGIONAL UTILITIES AND UTILITIES
WHO HAVE JOINED THE ENERGY AND
BALANCE MARKET IN CALIFORNIA FOR
E IM SPECIFIC PROVISIONS TO
ENSURE WE WERE UPDATING AS
APPROPRIATE FOR CITY LIGHT.
I WILL SPEAK TO EIM HERE
SHORTLY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MAURA.
OKAY SO.
NOW I WILL RUN YOU
THROUGH THE KEY POLICY
AFFIRMATIONS AND PROVISIONS OF
THIS 2020 OAT UPDATE.
SO OF COURSE, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE
WE OWN TRANSMISSION LINES AND
FACILITIES IN WASHINGTON STATE.
ONE OF THE KEY POLICY DECISIONS
MADE INTERNALLY IN CITY LIGHT
WAS TO TRANSITION LEGACY
CONTRACTS THAT WE HAD THAT
CONTAINED TRANSMISSION ELEMENTS
TO THIS UPDATED OAT.
IN THE PAST, CITY LIGHT
NEGOTIATED BUNDLED AGREEMENTS
WITH OTHER UTILITIES SUCH AS
PUGET AND SNOHOMISH WHICH
INCLUDED GENERATION,
TRANSMISSION AND INTERCONNECTION
COMPONENTS.
NOW WE'RE UNBUNDLING THOSE
AGREEMENTS.
WE ARE STILL COMMITTING TO
PROVIDE NONDISCRIMINATORY
SERVICE.
AND AS I NOTED PREVIOUSLY, THESE
2020 OAT UPDATES ARE MODELLED
AFTER THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE
FOR UTILITIES, EXCEPT FOR SMALL
MODIFICATIONS TO FIT OUR
MUNICIPAL BUSINESS NEEDS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO SOME OF OUR MODIFICATIONS TO
THOSE PRO FORMA TERMS AND
CONDITIONS ACCOUNT FOR OUR
STATUS AS A MUNICIPAL UTILITY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AS AN
INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITY.
LOTS THE SAME, BUT SOME
DIFFERENCES.
THIS ALLOWS FOR POINT TO POINT
TRANSMISSION SERVICE, THE
TRANSMISSION OF CAPACITY AND
ENERGY FROM THE POINT OF RECEIPT
ON OUR SYSTEM TO THE POINT OF
DELIVERY, TO WHERE THE POWER'S
GOING, ON A FIRM OR NONFIRM
BASIS.
ALSO, I NOTED EARLIER, WE JOINED
CALIFORNIA'S INDEPENDENT SYSTEM
OPERATOR ENERGY AND BALANCE
MARKET OR EIM.
WE JOINED IN APRIL 2020.
IT'S A REALTIME MARKET THAT
ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN
SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
THE MARK DOES THAT BY FINDING
THE LOWEST COST RESOURCE FROM
ACROSS THE LARGER REGION TO MEET
REALTIME NEEDS SO THAT RESULTS
IN A BALANCED SUPPLY AND DEMAND
AT THE LOWER COST.
THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS
AND THE REGION.
IN OUR JOINING EIM, WE
CONTRACTUALLY COMMITTED TO
UPDATE OUR OAT FOR EIM
OPERATIONS.
SO ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS IS
ATTACHMENT Q WHICH ACCOMMODATES
OUR ENTRANCE INTO THE ENERGY
IMBALANCE MARKET.
CITY LIGHT HAS JOINED NORTHERN
GRID, WHICH IS A REGIONAL
TRANSMISSION PLANNING
ORGANIZATION CONSOLIDATED FROM
COLUMBIA GRID AND THE NORTHERN
TIER TRANSMISSION GROUP.
WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE UPDATES
TO OUR TRANSMISSION PLANNING
PROCESS AND THE MATERIALS.
THAT'S ATTACHMENT K, WITH THE
FORMALIZATION OF PLANNING
NORTHERN GRID.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST IS
OUR REVIEW OF OUR WHOLESALE
TRANSMISSION METHODOLOGY AND
RATES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WE HIRED, AS I NOTED EARLIER,
AN EXPERT RATES CONSULTANT FOR
OAT AND CONDUCTED A
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR
WHOLESALE TRANSMISSION
METHODOLOGY AND RATES TO ENSURE
WE WERE ALLOCATING COSTS
PROPORTIONATELY TO TRANSMISSION.
WE GENERALLY FOLLOWED
METHODOLOGY USING OUR 2018
FINANCIALS TO UPDATE OUR RATE
SCHEDULES IN THE LEGISLATION AND
UPDATED OUR RATES FROM 2008 TO
2018, AS I NOTED.
SO THE RATES HAVE INCREASED
FROM 2009.
OF COURSE, DURING THE PASSAGE OF
TIME BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE
UPDATE TO THE METHODOLOGY AS
ADVISED BY OUR RATES CONSULTANT,
WHICH INCLUDES ALL CITY LIKE'S
TRANSMISSION LINE IN OUR
CALCULATIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE CLEAR HERE WE
EXPECT A NEUTRAL FISCAL IMPACT
AS THE OAT RATES METHODOLOGY
REQUIRES COST-BASED TRANSMISSION
SERVICE.
SO IT'S NOT A MONEYMAKER FOR THE
FACILITY, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE
THEY REQUIRE THE RATES ARE JUST
AND REASONABLE.
SO ALL CUSTOMERS PAY THE SAME
AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY TAKE
SERVICE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THAT'S THE HISTORY AND
PROVISIONS TO THIS OAT UPDATE.
THEN WE MOVE INTO
IMPLEMENTATION.
WE BEGIN UPDATING INTERNALLY TO
MOVE THOSE LEGACY AGREEMENTS
THAT I NOTED WE HAVE AS THEY
EXPIRE INTO THIS UPDATED OAT PRO
FORMA STRUCTURE.
THIS WILL OCCUR WITH SOME SMALL
SHIFTS IN RESPONSIBILITY AND
INTERACTIONS INTERNALLY IN CITY
LIGHT AND THROUGH THE TARIFF
IMPLEMENTATION.
AND OF COURSE, THAT INCLUDES
UPDATES TO VARIOUS BUSINESS
PRACTICES AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS
SLIDE, INCLUDING FINANCIAL
ACCOUNTING, STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT, IMPLEMENTING A
TRANSMISSION WEBSITE AND THE
LIKE.
SO THAT'S -- NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THAT'S ALL FOR MY FORMAL PART OF
THE PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THE COMMITTEE
HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY.
CATHY IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME SO
FAR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS
A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MELISSA.
AND ALSO, THANK YOU JIM BAGGS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU BEING THIS
IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN YOU
IN COMMITTEE, I JUST WANT TO
CALL OUT THE FACT AS WE WERE
WAITING FOR DEBRA SMITH TO COME
ON BOARD HERE, JIM WAS THE ONE
THAT KEPT A STEADY HAND ON THE
TILL OF CITY LIGHT AND JUST CALL
OUT THE FACT THAT WHEN WE HAD A
BILLING BACKLOG, JIM CAME IN AND
HELPED REALLY MAKE -- GRANTED
THE STAFF THAT WORK WITH YOU ARE
THE ONES THAT GET THAT JOB DONE,
BUT JIM, YOU HAVE DONE WORK FOR
CITY LIGHT.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND THANK
YOU.
MY ONE QUESTION ABOUT WESTERN
POWER GRID, IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'VE GOT
THREE POWER GRIDS GENERALLY IN
THE UNITED STATES, NORTHEASTERN,
WESTERN AND THEN IS TEXAS ITS
OWN GRID?
>> I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I MIGHT LEAN TO CATHY FOR THAT.
I HAVEN'T PAID ATTENTIONS TO THE
REGIONS, WHAT'S HAPPENING
OUTSIDE.
CATHY, CAN YOU HELP WITH THAT?
>> YES, YES IT IS.
SO YES --
>> IT'S A WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY
THEY SAY.
>> YEAH.
>> EXCELLENT.
SO JUST REALLY GREAT TO SEE,
JIM, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT
UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MELISSA, THIS IS A REALLY
GREAT PRESENTATION, AND I THINK
YOU ANSWERED THE QUESTION WHEN
YOU SAID THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP
OUR RATES FAIR AND UNIFORM.
SINCE OTHER ENTITIES ARE USING
OUR POWER GRID TO MOVE THEIR
ELECTRICITY, IS IT AT ALL
POSSIBLE FOR US TO CHARGE THEM A
HIGHER RATE FOR MOVING DIRTY
POWER ACROSS OUR LINES OR MAKE
THEM BUY CARBON CREDITS?
IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO
DISINCENTIVIZE DIRTY
ELECTRICITY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION,
THANK YOU FOR ASKING IT.
AS YOU STATED, AND I MOST NOTED
IN MY PRESENTATION, THE RATES
ARE UNIFORM THROUGHOUT.
THAT DOES ALLOW, ALSO, WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIRTY
POWER IS THAT IT PROVIDES EQUAL
ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE AND
RENEWABLE FORMS OF POWER.
SO WE CAN'T CHANGE -- CHARGE ANY
DIFFERENT RATES FOR RENEWABLE
POWER VERSUS COAL POWER, BUT
WE'RE PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS TO
THE SYSTEM.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THIS IS BOTH -- I'LL MERGE
BOTH OF MY QUESTIONS INTO ONE.
I THINK THAT I KNOW THE ANSWER,
BUT ALSO FOR THE ENERGY
IMBALANCE MARKET AND THE FACT
THAT WE ARE NOT REGULATED BY
ERC BECAUSE WE ARE REGULATED BY
THE CITY, AGAIN, DO WE GET ANY
BENEFITS FROM THE ENERGY
IMBALANCE MARKET FROM BEING
PUBLICLY OWNED?
AND ARE THERE ANY BENEFITS WE
RECEIVE FOR BEING PUBLICLY OWNED
RATHER THAN INVESTOR OR
PROFIT-OWNED.
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS.
WE AREN'T TREATED ANY
DIFFERENTLY AS A PUBLIC POWER
ENTITY THERE.
I THINK THERE ARE 10 OR 11 OTHER
ENTITY THAT IS JOINED EIM, BUT I
AM NO EXPERT.
AS TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, AS
FAR AS AUTHORITY OVER CITY LIGHT
AND OUR OPEN ACCESS TRANSMISSION
TARIFF, I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, WE
ARE NOT RATE REGULATED BY FERC.
WE ARE WHOLLY REGULATED AT A
HIGH LEVEL, BUT IT IS UP TO YOU,
CITY COUNCIL, AS OUR REGULATOR
TO KEEP US KIND OF IN CHECK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THIS AS
A QUESTION, BUT YOU KNOW, IF
THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE OAT
OR WE HAVE ANY UPDATES OR WE'RE
NOT FALLING IN LINE WITH WHAT WE
SHOULD BE DOING, THE LAST
RECOURSE WOULD BE SOMEONE COULD
TAKE US TO FERC.
AND I'LL SPEAK, PERSONALLY HERE
I DON'T KNOW IF CATHY HAS
COMMENTS OR JIM AS WELL ON THIS,
IF SOMEONE TOOK US TO FERC, WE
HAVE FAILED IN REGULATORY
AFFAIRS AT CITY LIGHT.
SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE GOING
FORWARD THAT WE WILL TAKE A LOOK
AT THE RATES INTERNALLY.
I CAN'T GUESS WHAT THAT IS.
WE'LL BRING THEM BACK TO YOU TO
TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
IF WE HAVE ANY UPDATES TO THE
PRO FORMA WE WILL, YOU KNOW,
CONDUCT THOSE INTERNALLY IF
THERE'S ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT,
WE'D BRING IT BACK TO YOU FOR
SURE.
>> I MIGHT ADD ONE BRIEF COMMENT
TO -- ON TOP OF WHAT MELISSA
SAID, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY
CORRECT.
GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER
STRAUSS' QUESTION, YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT THE DIFFERENTIATION IN
RATES.
AND THIS IS REALLY MORE CONTEXT
THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BUT PART OF
THE IMPETUS OF TARIFFS
NATIONWIDE REALLY HAD TO DO WITH
A LONGTIME HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE WHERE -- IN WHICH
UTILITIES WERE ABLE TO BASICALLY
CONTROL THE TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK AND DO UTILITY THINGS
WITHOUT -- AND ACCEPT OR DENY
PERMISSION FOR OTHER ENTITIES TO
USE OR GET, YOU KNOW, USE THEIR
NETWORKS TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE
SOURCES OF ENERGY AND THE LIKE.
AND THERE WAS A POINT IN THE
'90s WHEN FERC SAID ENOUGH
ALREADY.
THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF
ELECTRICITY, MANY OF WHICH ARE
RENEWABLES, BUT OTHER PROVIDERS
BESIDES MONOPOLY-OWNED UTILITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND MANDATED
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN ACCESS
TARIFFS TO ESSENTIALLY LEVEL THE
PLAYING FIELD SO THAT UTILITIES
COULD NOT PROHIBIT SOME OF THE
CLEANER SOURCES OF ENERGY FROM
BEING DEVELOPED AND BROUGHT INTO
THE GRID.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
SO NOW WE ARE ON THE OPPOSITE
SIDE OF THAT COIN WHERE WE CAN'T
PROHIBIT DIRTY ELECTRICITY.
THAT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW
THINGS HAVE SHIFTED.
AND THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION,
MELISSA, CATHY, THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HEY, IT IS WORTH NOTING,
THOUGH, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, THAT
WHILE WE CAN'T PROHIBIT,
WASHINGTON STATE'S CLEAN ENERGY
ACT WHICH WAS VOTED IN PLACE BY
THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, OR
IS IT TWO SESSIONS AGO NOW?
I THINK IT WAS '19, SAME AS THE
TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION
AUTHORITY.
AND OVER TIME, THAT IS, YOU KNOW
-- SO IT IS TRUE, AND OF COURSE,
IT'S A GRID AND YOU PUT STUFF IN
ONE END AND THEORETICALLY IT
COMES OUT THE OTHER END.
BUT IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE OLD
SPRINKLERS WHERE THEY USED TO
LAY ON THE GROUND WITH HOLES
EVERYWHERE, SO, IN FACT, YOU
KNOW, POWER'S COMING OUT
EVERYWHERE, EVEN ALONG THE WAY
ON THAT GRID.
SO YOU KNOW, WASHINGTON STATE
DID A GOOD THING.
AND AS THAT RAMPS UP AND AS
THOSE PROVISIONS AND
REQUIREMENTS CHANGE, YOU KNOW,
ANY DIRTY POWER THAT MIGHT BE
GOING IN WOULD ONLY BE RIDING
BRIEFLY ON OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE IT
ISN'T GOING TO BE STAYING IN
WASHINGTON STATE.
AND IRONICALLY, THIS WAS JUST A
QUICK ASIDE, BUT YOU'LL FIND
THIS INTERESTING, I THINK.
I WAS ON A CALL YESTERDAY FOR
ONE OF OUR INDUSTRY TRADE
GROUPS, AND WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE OUTLOOK
FOR 2021 AROUND POWER AND CLEAN
ENERGY.
AND BEFORE '19, BEFORE 2019, I
THOUGHT THAT -- I THOUGHT OREGON
WOULD PASS A CAP IN TRADE, A
FORM OF TAXING CARBON.
AND I THOUGHT OREGON WOULD DO
THAT IN '19 BECAUSE THEY WORKED
ON IT FAR COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN I THOUGHT WASHINGTON
WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PIGGY BACK.
AND AS IT HAPPENED, OREGON DID
NOT GET THAT THROUGH.
THE REPUBLICAN ELECTEDS ACTUALLY
WALKED OUT TO NOT TAKE A VOTE,
IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
AND WASHINGTON PASSED SOMETHING.
I THINK OREGON IS LOOKING
SERIOUSLY AT GOING FOR A CLEAN
ENERGY, LIKE WASHINGTON.
AS YOU BEGIN TO EXPAND THE
DISTANCE THAT THIS
INTERCONNECTED GRID IS COVERING
AND YOU BEGIN TO RAMP UP THOSE
CLEAN ENERGY REQUIREMENTS IN THE
WEST, ESSENTIALLY,
COUNCILMEMBER, YOU'LL GET THERE.
YOU'LL GET THERE OVER TIME, BUT
YOU WILL GET THERE.
>> THANK YOU, GENERAL MANAGER
SMITH, AND THANKS FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM
FOR COUNCIL BILL 119899?
OKAY, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'D
LIKE TO MOVE NOW THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF
COUNCIL BILL 119899.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
MOVED AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF THIS BILL.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS BILL
PASS?
>> GONZALEZ?
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD?
>> AYE.
>> MORALES?
>> AYE.
>> STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> FIVE AYES, NO NOES.
>> MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION THAT
THE BILL PASS WILL BE SENT TO
THE OCTOBER 5 CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
NOW, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE
FINAL ITEM ON OUR AGENDA,
COUNCIL BILL 119898, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ THIS ITEM FIVE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 1119898, AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE CITY
LIGHT
DEPARTMENT, AMENDING SUBSECTION
21.49.086.D OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE TO DEFINE THE
NET WHOLESALE REVENUE TARGET
USED IN RATE STABILIZATION
ACCOUNT OPERATIONS FOR
2021 THROUGH 2024,
FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND TO OUR CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF, ERIC, ANY INTRODUCTORY
COMMENTS?
>> NOT MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN
THE -- WHAT YOU'LL HEAR TODAY
WILL HAVE -- IT DOES HAVE DIRECT
AFFECT ON CUSTOMER BILLS.
THERE'S A SMALL SURCHARGE THAT
GOES INTO BILLS THAT WILL BE
EXPLAINED.
AND SO THIS -- THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT CUSTOMERS WILL BE
INTERESTED IN.
IT IS IMPORTANT AND THERE'S A
POSSIBILITY OF GOOD NEWS AT THE
TOP OF NEXT YEAR.
AND I'M SCOOPING KIRSTY A LITTLE
BIT.
I SHOULD LET HER EXPLAIN THAT.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
GENERAL MANAGER, SMITH, PLEASE?
>> PEDERSEN, IF CAN --
>> -- PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU.
I MENTIONED I HAVE A CONFLICT AT
11:30 A.M., I EXPECTED WE WOULD
BE DONE BY NOW.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SCHEDULING
SNAFU ON MY END.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT FOR WELL DONE
WORK DURING TODAY'S COMMITTEE
MEETING AND I'M SORRY I WON'T BE
HERE FOR YOUR LAST PRESENTATION.
IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF INTEREST,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I JUST HAVE A
DIFFERENT COMMITMENT THAT STARTS
RIGHT NOW AT 11:30, SO I WANTED
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CLERK AND
THE CHAIR WERE AWARE THAT I'M
NOW GOING TO, UNFORTUNATELY,
HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF FROM THE
MEETING.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LISTEN IN
AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
GENERAL MANAGER SMITH, GO AHEAD
AND INTRODUCE THIS ITEM FOR US.
>> YEAH, AND THIS, AGAIN, IT'S
AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
IT DOES DIRECTLY IMPACT RATES.
TO REITERATE, AS A
PUBLICLY-OWNED UTILITY, YOU ARE
OUR RATE SETTING BODY.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK WITH YOU AND GET THIS
LOCKED IN.
BEFORE I FINISH, BECAUSE I KNOW
WE'RE GOING TO BE ENDING AND WE
ARE RUNNING A BIT LATE, I WAS
REMISS THIS MORNING IN NOT
INTRODUCING CRAIG SMITH.
SO I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW
CRAIG SMITH.
HE WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL PRESENTER
BECAUSE, AS WE HAVE STOOD UP OUR
NEW INNOVATION AND
ELECTRIFICATION GROUP UNDER
DAVID LOGSDON THAT WORK AS MOVED
AWAY FROM CRAIG.
BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU
THAT CRAIG CONTINUES TO WORK
VERY CLOSELY WITH EMEKA AND HIS
TEAM.
AND CRAIG HAS ACTUALLY JUST
ACCEPTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
OUR CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER.
SO CRAIG HAS A HUGE BODY OF WORK
IN FRONT OF HIM, LESS WORK
AROUND ELECTRIFICATION, BUT ALL
THE ITEM THAT IS YOU SAW TODAY,
THEY STARTED UNDER CRAIG'S
WATCH.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE HE
GETS THE CREDIT FOR THAT,
BECAUSE HE BROUGHT US A LONG
WAY.
WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT
OVER TO OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER, KIRSTY GRAINGER, AND
HER TEAM.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS A SHORT ORDINANCE,
AND I HOPE A QUICK, FOUR-SLIDE
PRESENTATION FOR THIS TOPIC.
MAURA, IF YOU COULD MOVE TO THE
NEXT.
THERE WE GO.
SO THIS ORDINANCE PERTAINS TO
NET WHOLESALE REVENUE, WHICH IS
THE REVENUE THAT CITY LIGHT GETS
FROM THE SALES OF SURPLUS
ELECTRICITY.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, OUR CLEAN, LOW
COST, PRIMARILY HYDROELECTRIC
RESOURCES, GENERATE MORE POWER
THAN WE NEED TO SERVE OUR
CUSTOMER OWNERS.
AND THIS IS A GOOD THING.
IT PROTECTS US FROM MARKET RISK,
AND THEN WE SELL THE SURPLUS
POWER TO OTHER UTILITIES AND
THIS SUPPLEMENTS OUR REVENUES,
WHICH HELPS KEEP RATES LOW,
WHICH IS GOOD.
ONE CHALLENGE AROUND THESE
REVENUES IS THAT THEY ARE
NOTORIOUSLY HARD TO FORECAST AND
BUDGET FOR.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERNAL, I
MEAN EXTERNAL FORCES.
THERE'S UNCERTAINTY ON THE
SUPPLY AND THE DEMAND SIDE,
HYDRO RUNOFF, WEATHER RETAIL
DEMAND, PLUS THE MARKET VALUE OF
THE SURPLUS ELECTRICITY IS HARD
TO PREDICT.
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
MAURA.
THANK YOU.
SO ENTER THE RATE STABILIZATION
ACCOUNT, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED
ACTUALLY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE
LAST RECESSION IN 2011.
THE RSA IS A MECHANISM FOR
LIMITING THE IMPACT OF THESE
EXTERNAL FACTORS ON CITY LIGHT'S
REVENUES AND OUR RATES.
AND THE SLIDE HAS A LOT OF
NUMBERS.
I'M NOT GOING TO DIG IN TOO
MUCH, BUT THE RSA IS A CASH
RESERVE AND A SET OF ACCOUNTING
RULES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY
ORDINANCE IN MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND THEY BUFFER THE REVENUES.
THE WAY IT WORKS IS WE TARGET OR
BUDGET LOWER CASE BUDGETS AND A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF REVENUES.
AND THEN IF THE REVENUES THAT WE
REALIZE ARE HIGHER, WE DEPOSIT
THE EXTRA INTO THE RSA AND
CONVERSELY, IF THE REVENUES COME
ANY LOWER, THEN WE WITHDRAW AND
SUPPLEMENT FROM THE RSA.
AND IF THIS RSA RESERVE GETS
DEPLETED, AT CERTAIN LEVELS,
AUTOMATIC RATE SURCHARGES COME
ON TO FILL IT.
WE DO HAVE A SMALL SURCHARGE IN
PLACE RIGHT NOW, 3%, AND WE'LL
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT AND RATES LATER IN THE
PRESENTATION.
SO AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS
ORDNANCE IS TO ESTABLISH THIS
BASELINE OR TARGET OR BUDGET.
WE USE THOSE TERMS SORT OF
INTERCHANGEABLY FOR 2021 AND
FUTURE YEARS BECAUSE THAT IS
REQUIRED BY MUNICIPAL CODE.
NEXT SLIDE, MAURA.
GREAT.
OKAY.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE GREEN
TABLE WHAT THE ORDINANCE DOES IS
ESTABLISH THAT BASELINE OF $60
MILLION FOR 2021 AND THEN $40
MILLION FOR THE YEARS 2022, '23
AND '24.
AND NORMALLY THIS ORDNANCE WOULD
BE PART OF A LARGER LEGISLATIVE
PACKAGE.
IT WOULD FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A
RATE ORDNANCE AND THEN ALL OF
THAT WOULD FEED INTO THE BUDGET
PROCESS.
BUT 2020 IS NOT A NORMAL YEAR.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS PAUSED.
WE ARE -- WE DON'T HAVE A RATE
ACTION PROPOSED FOR 2021.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE IS THE
ONLY BUDGET PRELUDE ITEM THAT
CITY LIGHT HAS THIS YEAR.
AND YOU'LL NOTE 2021, THE $60
MILLION THAT WE HAVE THERE,
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S HIGHER THAN WE
HAVE HAD IN 2020 OR IN SOME
PREVIOUS YEARS.
BUT IT IS SUPPORTED BY
FUNDAMENTALS, IMPER CAL FACTOR.
WE ARE SEEING LOWER CONSUMPTION
FROM CUSTOMERS, PARTICULARLY ON
THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
SIDE.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL
CONTINUE ALONG WITH THE
RECESSION INTO 2021.
AND SO THIS WILL REDUCE OUR
RETAIL SALES, BUT WE WILL TAKE
THAT ENERGY AND SELL IT ON THE
WHOLESALE MARKET AND RECAPTURE
SOME OF THE REVENUE THAT WE WILL
HAVE LOST.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT THAT INTERPLAY AS WE GO
INTO SETTING OUR BUDGETS.
AND FURTHERMORE, THE MARKET
PRICES ARE STRONG IN 2021.
AND WE ARE SEEING REVENUE FROM
PARTICIPATION IN THE WEIM.
ALL OF THESE FACTORS TOGETHER
ARE MAKING FOR WHAT WE HOPE WILL
BE A STRONG YEAR FOR WHOLESALE
REVENUE IN 2021.
OUR FORECAST IS $74 MILLION,
WHICH IS EVEN HIGHER THAN WHEN
WE WERE DRAFTING THIS ORDINANCE.
SO WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, THAT
$60 MILLION WE FEEL IS A PRETTY
PRUDENT TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN FOR THE OUT YEARS, 2022
THROUGH 2024, THAT'S A PLACE
HOLDER VALUE.
WE ANTICIPATE THIS COULD BE
UPDATED IN FUTURE BUDGET RATE
CYCLES AS NEEDED.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS
ALL ABOUT.
MY LAST SLIDE, THANKS, MAURA,
PERFECT, IS JUST A QUICK
DISCUSSION ABOUT RATES BECAUSE
THE RSA DOES IMPACT RATES AS IT
IS A RATE MECHANISM.
SO THE RSA SURCHARGE RIGHT NOW
IS AT 3%, AND IT INCREASED BACK
IN NOVEMBER OF 2019.
ALTHOUGH CUSTOMERS WOULDN'T HAVE
SEEN THIS IMPACT ON THEIR BILLS
BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER RATE
CHANGE THAT HAPPENED
CONCURRENTLY WHERE WE DECREASED
DUE TO THE BPA PASS THROUGH.
AND SO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN
RATES WAS A TINY RATE DECREASE.
WE HAD A GENERAL INCREASE THAT
AVERAGED 4.7% AT THE BEGINNING
OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD, AS I
MENTIONED, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE
HAVING A RATE INCREASE FOR 2021
PENDING BUDGET PROCEEDINGS.
SO WE'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT
THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND THEN THE GOOD NEWS, AS ERIC
ALLUDED, IS THAT WE ANTICIPATE
THAT GIVEN THE RSA BASELINES,
THE NET WHOLESALE REVENUE
TARGETS PROPOSED IN THIS
ORDINANCE, PRESUMING THAT WE
HAVE AN OKAY SNOW PACK AND A
GOOD RUNOFF AND OUR FORECASTS
MATERIALIZE, THOSE REVENUES COME
THROUGH.
THE RSA SURCHARGE SHOULD
DECREASE AND THEN BE LIFTED IN
2021.
AND SO THAT WILL BE SOME VERY
WELCOME RATE RELIEF FOR CUSTOMER
OWNERS.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
WHAT QUESTIONS CAN WE --
>> THANK YOU.
YOUR VERY LAST STATEMENT WAS THE
ONE THAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT FOR
ME.
ONE OF MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES
CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE THAT HAS
BOTH UTILITY ENTERPRISES IS TO
KEEP RATES LOW, ESPECIALLY FOR
OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
AND SO YOU'RE EXPLAINING THESE
ASSUMPTIONS AND HOW THESE
COMPONENTS IMPACT THE ULTIMATE
NET RATE THAT GOES TO THE
CUSTOMER.
WHAT I HEARD YOU SAYING IS THAT
THE RATES WILL NOT GO UP AND, IN
FACT, WILL INITIALLY GO DOWN IS
YOUR PREDICTION?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO
INCREASE RATES FOR 2021.
AND HOPEFULLY THE RATES WILL GO
DOWN.
AGAIN, THE WHOLE INTENT OF THE
RSA IS TO BALANCE THIS VERY
UNCERTAIN REVENUE COMPONENT.
AND SO THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY
AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD THAT WE
WILL BE ABLE -- THAT THESE RATE
DECREASES WILL COME THROUGH AND
THAT RATE SURCHARGE WILL BE
LIFTED NEXT YEAR.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD?
>> THANK YOU.
A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THE -- CAN YOU CLARIFY ARE THE
AUTOMATIC RATE SURCHARGES THAT
REFILL THE RSA, THOSE ARE
SURCHARGES ON RESIDENTIAL
CUSTOMERS?
BUT THEY'RE TRIGGERED BY A LOSS
OF REVENUE ON THE WHOLESALE
SIDE?
>> ALL CUSTOMERS.
>> OKAY.
>> YES.
>> BUT TRIGGERED BY THE LOSS OF
REVENUE ON THE WHOLESALE SIDE?
>> YES.
>> AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO EXPLAIN
ON SLIDE FOUR WHY THE FORECAST
FOR 2021 AND 2022 IS HIGHER THAN
THE BASELINE?
IS THAT JUST A TYPICAL
FORECASTING --
>> SO THAT FORECAST IS PUT
TOGETHER BY OUR STAFF.
WE HAVE MODELS THAT LOOK AT WHAT
HYDRO VOLUMES ARE FORECAST TO
BE, WHAT THE PRICES ARE FORECAST
TO B AND THEN IT GENERATES A
FOECAST.
IT MOVES AROUND QUITE A BIT.
SO IT'S A THING THAT WE ARE
CONSTANTLY CHECKING.
SO YEAH, RIGHT NOW THE BASELINE
THAT WE'VE SET LOOKS PRETTY
CONSERVATIVE COMPARED TO THE
FORECASTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW.
AS I MENTIONED, WHEN WE DRAFTED
THIS ORDINANCE, I THINK THE
MARKET PRICES IN THE HYDRO WAS
NOT QUITE AS STRONG AS IT IS
NOW.
SO IT'S MOVING WEEK ON WEEK.
>> AND JUST TO ADD ON THAT, CITY
LIGHT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF
SLOWLY RAMPING THOSE DOWN, SO
WERE WE NOT HAVING THE -- OR
EXPECTING THE YEAR NEXT YEAR,
WHICH IS A RESULT OF BOTH WHAT
WE EXPECT TO BE A GOOD WATER
YEAR WHERE PRICES ARE CURRENTLY,
BUT ALSO REALLY IMPORTANTLY, THE
REDUCTION IN RETAIL LOAD
ASSOCIATED WITH COVID MEANS
THEORETICALLY WE WILL HAVE MORE
REVENUE TO SELL IN THE MARKET.
WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE US TAKING,
YOU KNOW, EXPECTING HIGHER
LEVELS POTENTIALLY NEXT YEAR
THAN WE HAVE.
AND IT'S PART OF WHY WE'RE
HAVING A GOOD YEAR THIS YEAR.
IT'S ALSO RELATED TO OUR
PARTICIPATION IN THE ENERGY
IMBALANCE MARKET.
SO YOU'LL RECALL WE WENT LIVE IN
APRIL, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS THE
END OF THE WINTER WEATHER WHERE
PRICES ARE TYPICALLY HIGHER.
SO THOSE ARE PART OF THE REASON.
IF THOSE THINGS WEREN'T
HAPPENING, WHAT YOU WOULD SEE
FOR 2021, WHICH IS WHAT WAS IN
OUR LAST STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS
STILL IN PLACE, WHAT YOU WOULD
SEE IS $45 MILLION BECAUSE WE
WERE STAIR STEPPING DOWN OUR
PROJECTIONS EACH YEAR TO $40
MILLION AND THEN WE HOLD.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBERS, ANY FINAL
QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEDERSEN,
AND MY APOLOGIES FOR ALWAYS
HAVING SO MANY QUESTIONS.
KIRSTY, SUCH A GREAT
PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR
NOTING THIS IS USUALLY PART OF A
LARGER PACKAGE AND WE WERE
EXPECTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN
UPDATE THIS YEAR.
GRANTED DUE TO EXTENUATING
CIRCUMSTANCES, COVID, WE'RE
WAITING ON THAT.
IT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND THAT RETAIL USAGE IS
HARD TO DETERMINE, THIS YEAR
EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO
DETERMINE.
AND WE KNOW THAT RETAIL DEMAND
IS DOWN, WHICH MAKES US ALSO
NEED TO SHIFT TO WHOLESALE IN A
LARGER WAY THAN USUAL.
I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHOLESALE, SELLING OUR
ENERGY ON THE WHOLESALE MARKET.
I GUESS ONE OF THEM IS HOW DO WE
STRATEGICALLY SELL OUR ENERGY ON
THE MARKET, AND WHAT I MEAN BY
THAT IS -- I GUESS I'LL JUST ASK
YOU ALL OF MY QUESTIONS AT ONCE
AND LET YOU GO FROM THERE, WHICH
IS HOW DOES SELLING ON THE
WHOLESALE MARKET RATHER THAN
RETAIL IMPACT THE WHATTER BEHIND
THE DAMS?
HOW DO WE STRATEGICALLY SELL
THIS POWER?
CAN WE TURN ON AND OFF OUR DAM
PRODUCTIVITY TO MEET OUR RETAIL
NEEDS?
AND THEN TO SIMULTANEOUSLY WHEN
RETAIL NEEDS ARE LOW, CAN WE
TURN THE DAM PRODUCTIVITY ON AND
OFF TO SELL OUR ENERGY
STRATEGICALLY AT THE HIGHEST
RATE POSSIBLE?
CAN WE CONTROL OUR LOAD -- IS
THERE ANY CONTROL THAT IS WE CAN
PUT THE LOAD ON OUR GRID TO
STRATEGICALLY SELL THIS
ELECTRICITY?
AND THEN FINALLY, HOW DOES OUR
DEPLETED SNOW PACK AND THE NEED
TO KEEP WATER BEHIND THE DAMS
FOR FUTURE USE IMPACT THE RATE
STABILIZATION FUND.
SORRY FOR ALL THOSE QUESTIONS
THERE.
THEY'RE ALL AT ONCE.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION AFTER THAT.
>> KIRSTY, YOU FOLLOW UP.
>> EMEKA'S READY TOO.
>> WELL, EMEKA, IF YOU WANT TO
TALK ABOUT THE DAMS, WHY DON'T
YOU GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE
DAMS?
>> I'M SURE ANY OF US COULD DO A
FINE JOB HERE, BUT I'LL GIVE IT
A SHOT.
SO I'LL JUST SAY TO THE
COUNCILMEMBER, I THINK A LOT OF
WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED IS PART OF
WHAT MAKES THE HYDRO ASSETS WE
HAVE SO IMPORTANT TO THE DE
DECARBONIZATION PLAN.
SO YOU KNOW, OUR ASSETS ARE VERY
FLEXIBLE.
THEY CERTAINLY ALLOW US TO RAMP
UP AND RAMP DOWN AND BE VERY
DYNAMIC WITH HOW WE USE OUR
ENERGY.
AND THEREFORE BE VERY THOUGHTFUL
AND PRODUCTIVE WITH HOW WE PLAY
IN THE MARKETPLACE.
I THINK ALSO, TO YOUR POINT
ABOUT LOAD CONTROL, YOU KNOW,
THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
POINT, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
DYNAMIC FUTURE GRID THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT, THE GRID
MODERNIZATION WORK.
THINK OF IT SORT OF LIKE AN
EQUATION.
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE THE ABILITY
TO CONTROL SUPPLY, YOU'RE MUCH
LESS DYNAMIC THAN IF YOU HAVE
SOME CONTROL OVER YOUR DEMAND,
RIGHT?
AND SO BEING ABLE TO CONTROL
BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION IS
CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
AFTER THAT IS PART OF OUR
STRATEGIC INTENT.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT SORT OF
FLEXIBLE LOADS AND DYNAMIC LOADS
AND DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT LIKE
DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS TO HELP
US INCREASE OUR CAPABILITIES.
AND THAT WILL ONLY BECOME MORE
EFFECTIVE AND MORE USEFUL AND
MORE VALUABLE TO US AS TIME GOES
ON.
>> YEAH, AND I WOULD JUST THROW
IN AND SAY SO WE OPERATE SKAGIT
AND BOUNDARY, WHICH ARE OUR TWO
FACILITIES.
WE ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO OPERATE
THEM STRATEGICALLY IN TANDEM.
SO WE RAMP UP AND WE RAMP DOWN
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FLOWS,
PRICES, AS WELL AS THE LOAD
CURVE FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
AND SO WE CAN, WE DO HAVE WITHIN
THE BOUNDS OF OUR LICENSE, WE
HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOLD WATER,
TO MOVE WATER.
SPILL, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW,
TYPICALLY A SUMMER, EARLY
SUMMER, LATE SPRING ACTIVITY.
SPILL IS WHEN WE'RE GETTING SO
MUCH WATER FROM RUNOFF AND WE
DON'T HAVE MUCH ABLE TO CONTROL
THAT.
SO YOU'LL LOOK AT A YEAR AND
YOU'LL SAY, WELL WHAT DOES THE
YEAR LOOK LIKE?
WHAT DO PRICES LOOK LIKE?
A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW
QUICKLY THE THINGS WARM UP,
QUITE FRANKLY, IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND HOW QUICKLY THAT SNOW MELTS
AND THE WATER COMES.
BECAUSE WE ARE PROTECTING FISH.
WE'RE PROTECTING RECREATION.
WE'RE PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT.
A GOOD EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR WAS A
TERRIBLE WATER YEAR.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT
NUMBER, BUT I WANT TO SAY WE
MADE LIKE $14.7 MILLION.
I'M GOING FROM MEMORY, BUT IT
WAS A VERY LOW WATER YEAR.
AND PARTLY, YOU KNOW, IT -- THAT
WAS VERY MUCH ABOUT WATER.
AND HONESTLY, WE NEVER HAD
ENOUGH WATER TO EVEN OPEN THE
SKAGIT RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
BECAUSE WATER WAS SO LOW.
WHEN WATER'S LOW, THE
INTERESTING THING IS, WHEN
GENERATION IS DOWN BECAUSE OF
THE WATER YEAR, PRICES DO TEND
TO GO UP.
SO YOU'LL MAKE UP SOME OF WHAT
YOU LOST IN VOLUME ON PRICE, BUT
GENERALLY YOU'LL NEVER MAKE UP
ALL OF THAT.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE
SPIKES, THERE'LL BE A DAY OR,
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A DAY IN
AUGUST WHERE THE REGION HAD
TROUBLES -- SO, YOU KNOW, OUR
GOAL CONTINUES TO BE TO, AS
EMEKA SAID, TO MAKE THE BEST USE
OF THE RESOURCE.
AND ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES AROUND
THAT, WHICH WE WILL BE BRINGING
BACK TO YOU WHEN WE BRING OUR
NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BRINGING IT
TO YOU SOONER.
IS TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT PRICING
STRUCTURES AND POTENTIALLY USING
A TIME OF DAY RATES THAT ALLOW
US TO INSENT CUSTOMERS TO USE
LESS POWER DURING TIMES WHEN
THAT POWER HAS THE MOST VALUE IN
THE MARKET.
BY DOING SO, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
SELL MORE, INCREASE OUR
REVENUES, AND THEN IN TURN, AS
YOU'VE SEEN THROUGH THIS
PRESENTATION, THAT DOES FALL
BACK AS A DIRECT BENEFIT TO OUR
RATE PAYERS.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
>> DID YOU GET THEM ALL?
>> YOU GOT MOST OF IT.
KIRSTY, ANYTHING TO ADD THERE?
NO?
SO I THINK YOU HIGHLIGHTED A
COUPLE THINGS THERE THAT ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WON'T DISCUSSION BOUNDARY, BUT
I WILL SAY THAT THE SKAGIT DAMS
ARE ABOVE OUR SALMON RUNS IS MY
UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THE
DAM/SALMON CONVERSATION OCCURS,
THAT IS A BENEFIT THAT THE DAM
THAT IS WE HAVE IN THE SKAGIT
ARE ABOVE THE SALMON RUNS.
AND IT'S ALSO REALLY A BENEFIT
THAT THE DAMS ARE CASCADING.
AND SO AS WE DIMINISH THE WATER
LOAD BEHIND ONE DAM, IT JUST
FLOWS INTO THE NEXT, WHICH IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR
ABILITY TO RETAIN OUR WATER.
I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IN
HERE, IT'S KIND OF IN THE SAME
VEIN I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL
DAY.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT
CAN WE CHARGE MORE MONEY FOR
CLEAN ELECTRICITY ON THE
WHOLESALE MARKET?
>> DEBRA, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
SO, GOSH, WHEN I STARTED IN THIS
INDUSTRY, WE WERE JUST FORMING
MARKETS, AND THERE WAS NO
TRANSPARENCY AND EVERYTHING WAS
A BILATERAL AGREEMENT.
TODAY WE HAVE VERY LIQUID, VERY
TRANSPARENT MARKETS.
SO YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU -- WHEN WE
ARE SURPLUS, OUR REALTIME
TRADING FLOOR IS UP
THERE 24/7 AND THEY ARE
BALANCING, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE
HOUR, WITHIN THE 15-MINUTE
INCREMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE HERE HAVE
EVERYTHING THEY NEED AND THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
ANY SURPLUS OR PURCHASE IF WE
ARE SHORT IN THE HOUR.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT ALL WORKS.
BUT THE MARKET SETS THE PRICE,
AND THE PRICE IS DEPENDENT ON
THE QUALITIES OR ATTRIBUTE OF
THE PRODUCT.
SO YES, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO
THE EIM, WHEN THE COUNCIL AT THE
TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A BIG
DECISION THAT WAS MADE.
AND IT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT
DECISION.
WE WERE NOT THE FIRST PUBLIC
UTILITY TO JOIN THE EIM BECAUSE
WE SLOWED OUR IMPLEMENTATION
SLIGHTLY TO ALLOW THE TECHNOLOGY
TO CATCH UP, BUT WE WERE THE
FIRST PUBLIC UTILITY IN THE
REGION TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND IT WAS LARGELY AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY-BASED DECISION.
THERE ARE FINANCIAL ISSUES
IMPACTED, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT
ALLOWS US TO SELL SURPLUS POWER
INTO CALIFORNIA WHERE THERE IS A
PREMIUM PLACED ON THE
CARBON-FREE ATTRIBUTES OF OUR
RESOURCE.
AND SO IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN
CHARGE MORE, IT'S THAT THE
MARKETPLACE IS -- IN MOST PLACES
A TRUE RENEWABLE RESOURCE UNLESS
IT'S RUN A RIVER OR SMALL HYDRO,
IT IS A CARBON-FREE RESOURCE.
AND THAT -- THOSE CARBON-FREE
ATTRIBUTES, ESPECIALLY AS WE
THINK ABOUT SEDA, OR IF WE PLACE
A PRICE ON CAR BAN, PER SE, THAT
CARBON -FREE RESOURCE COMES EVER
MORE VALUABLE.
THIS WILL NOT BE THE FIRST TIME
WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS,
BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING
OF OUR SKAGIT RELYLICENSING
PROCESS.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS,
THAT WILL BE THE ISSUE.
WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
FOR FISH AND FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT.
WE WANT TO VALUE AND SUPPORT THE
INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS AND THE
PEOPLE, THE TRIBES ON WHOSE LAND
WE OPERATE FACILITIES.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR RESOURCE REMAINS ECONOMICAL
AND HOLDS ITS VALUE FOR THE
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF GOING TO BE
BALANCING ALL THREE OF THOSE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE
COUNCIL WILL WIND UP LEARNING
QUITE A BIT ABOUT THAT.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
AND KIRSTY, SUCH A GREAT
PRESENTATION.
GENERAL MANAGER SMITH, AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
HERE.
EMEKA, I COULDN'T -- OUR CITY
WOULD BE IN A -- WE WOULD NOT BE
IN AS GOOD OF A PLACE WERE IT
NOT FOR YOU BEING HERE ON OUR
TEAM.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ANSWERING
ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
COUNCILMEMBERS, BEFORE WE MOVE
TO ADOPT THIS COUNCIL BILL?
OKAY, SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS, I MOVE THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL 119898, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
THE BILL HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND PASSAGE.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
OKAY, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS BILL
PASS?
>> HERBOLD?
>> YES.
>> MORALES?
>> YES.
>> STRAUSS?
>> YES.
.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> IT'S FOUR YES, NOBODY NO.
>> THANK YOU, THE MOTION CARRIES
AND THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE BILL PASS BE SENT TO
THE OCTOBER 5 CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
EVERYBODY, THIS CONCLUDES THE
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 MEETING OF
THE TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE WILL BE IN HIATUS
FOR THE COUNCIL'S REQUIRED 2021
BUDGET PROCESS.
WE WILL MEET AGAIN WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 2nd.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
ENJOY THE WEEKEND.
>> BYE, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BYE.