Avista has signed a 20-year agreement to buy power from a new commercial wind-generation project in central Washington.
The Rattlesnake Flat project is owned by the Clearway Energy Group of San Francisco, which installed 57 turbines on farm land in central Adams County.
Avista CEO Dennis Vermillion says while that work was underway, his crews were connecting the project to the company’s transmission infrastructure.
“This project helps Avista meet our goal of providing clean, reliable energy to our customers at a reasonable cost, while meeting the state’s renewable portfolio standards and clean energy goals now and into the future," Vermillion said.
The state is requiring utilities to provide 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.
Ben Fairbanks from Clearway says the project has not just an energy impact, but also economic benefits.
“It has generated millions in local and regional construction spending and will have a long-lasting impact on Adams County’s economy and with future local spending during operations, new full-time jobs and increased property tax revenue for the county, all the while helping local farmers continue to do what they love and keep their farms within their families for generations to come," he said.
Avista also buys solar power from a facility near Lind in Adams County and wind power from the Palouse Wind project in Whitman County.