4/19/14, 9:55 PMEnergize Eastside project sparks opposition - Bellevue Reporter

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by BRANDON MACZ, Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Apr 16, 2014 at 3:18PM

As Puget Sound Energy continues community

engagement for its Energize Eastside project,

running 18 miles of transmission lines from

Redmond to Renton, a group in the Somerset

neighborhood of Bellevue isn't buying the

company's claim that it's for the betterment of

the people.

PSE proposes to run the 18 miles of

transmission lines on either of two routes

through mostly public right of way (See map)

and in areas where older 115 kilovolt lines

already exist and replace them with 230

kilovolt lines.

Bellevue is currently running on a system that

was put in place in the 1960s, said Andy

Wappler, PSE vice president of corporate

affairs, but that was when there were about

50,000 residents on the Eastside and not the

300,000 today, or the 275 percent growth of

central business in Bellevue projected by 2040.

Wappler said 2014 will be spent conducting

public engagement, which includes a community advisory group.

"It's to serve Bellevue and the rest of the community and our customers," said Wappler of Energize

Eastside. " So, to have people involved and to know about it is a good thing."

Energize Eastside project sparks oppositionNEWS

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This map shows two potential routes for Puget SoundEnergy's Energize Eastside project, which would run 18miles of transmission lines from Renton to Redmond.

— Image Credit: Puget Sound Energy

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4/19/14, 9:55 PMEnergize Eastside project sparks opposition - Bellevue Reporter

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But the Somerset Community Association argues the demand for more energy on the Eastside is

being inflated by PSE to satisfy another agenda.

"The line shouldn't be built because we should be doing things on the conservation side," said Todd

Anderson, chairman for the Somerset Community Association technical committee.

Anderson, who holds a masters degree in electrical engineering, contends the $155-$288 million that

would go into the project could provide enough conservation measures to negate the need for the

project.

Wappler said increased conservation remains integral to PSE's future plans, but it can't "save your

way out of the problem" by itself. The company recently submitted to the state its 2014-15

conservation plan, which he said includes $105 million in grants and rebates to customers, including

businesses and property developers.

Energy efficiency projects explored by PSE included solar panels on Eastside rooftops, which

Wappler said would generate power at the wrong peak times. The company also considered storage

of 400 "shipping-container sized" batteries to the Eastside for an on-demand power source, but that

created the problem of where to locate them and the $6 million price tag per battery, he said.

PSE also explored whether a new natural gas-fired electric generator plant would be a good fit on

the Eastside, said Wappler, but that also required a larger natural gas pipeline to be run through the

area.

Anderson said the increased capacity need seems more for the benefit of Canada, which receives

power through the Northern Intertie, and significantly more than the Eastside during peak energy

demand in the winter.

Operating at 100 percent conservation, PSE assumed 2013-14 winter demand at 652 megawatts for

the Eastside and 1,500 megawatts for the Northern Intertie, according to its Eastside Needs

Assessment. The amount predicted for Canada exports remains the same in its 2021-22 projections

factoring in extreme weather and rises to 756 megawatts for the Eastside.

The needs assessment also points out Bonneville Power is making commitments to the Northern

Intertie for 2,300 megawatts of electricity that includes 200 megawatts on the east side of the

Intertie at Nelway. "Therefore in the ten-year summer cases this flow will increase to 2,300 MW to

cover the additional commitments that are being made on the Northern Intertie including the 200

MW on the east side of the tie at Nelway," the document states.

Wappler said regional reliability is good, but a small part of the Energize Eastside project.

"It appears there may be some other agenda going on," said Steve O'Donnell, president of the

Somerset Community Association and its representative on PSE's community advisory group, later

adding, "We're not exactly sure what the other agendas are."

While Anderson argues the demand for more energy over the next several decades isn't what PSE

says it will be is the reason to fight Energize Eastside, O'Donnell adds the visual impact of poles that

go with the lines is another big reason to oppose the project.

"We don't want industrial blight running through our neighborhoods," O'Donnell said, adding he's

calling on Bellevue councilmembers to make good on their campaign promises to preserve the

integrity of the city's many neighborhoods.

Wappler said the poles used for the project will be 90-125 feet tall and current poles are around 70

feet in height. An alternative proposed by a number of residents to run the lines underground is not

being looked at as a feasible option, he said.

4/19/14, 9:55 PMEnergize Eastside project sparks opposition - Bellevue Reporter

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Above-ground transmission lines are the standard in Washington, said Wappler, and significantly

less expensive and environmentally intrusive than running lines underground — PSE has only one

line that goes underground for 7/10 of a mile. He added the state utilities commission states if a

community wants underground lines, it is the residents' responsibility to pay for it.

"The community would have to figure it out," Wappler said of paying the price tag for underground

lines. "We can't figure out who pays for it and how."

Anderson said representatives from 18 neighborhoods from Renton to Kirkland will convene later

this year to hold a mass summit to discuss the issue of new transmission lines on the Eastside.

A question-and-answer session with PSE will be held 6-9 p.m. Monday, April 21 in the cafeteria

building at the Renton Technical College, 3000 N.E. Fourth St. A central subarea committee

workshop will be held 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 in the Skyview Ballroom of the Bellevue

Hilton, 300 112th Ave. S.E.

BRANDON MACZ, Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer bmacz@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4602

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Heidi Unick Dean · Top Commenter · Bellevue, WashingtonNo one who would be affected in my neighborhood (M route follows the existing Olympic pipelineand cuts through some residents' backyards) seems to care about the impact of this upgrade soI'm not fighting it for Newport Hills residents. However, I fully support all the neighborhoods andcities like Somerset, Lake Lanes, Newcastle, etc., that aren't willing to buy what PSE is peddlingjust because PSE says it's so. It's not right that PSE wants view neighborhoods like Somerset topay extra for undergrounding to preserve their property values. Those values are largely basedupon views impacted by the monster poles and it's not as if PSE is offering any kind ofcompensation for the decreased property values. Yes, there are existing transmission lines atSomerset's J route site but the new poles/lines will affect a whole new tier of residents whopreviously enjoyed unobstructed views. Aren't we all- including the Canadian customers-benefitting from the increased capacity of the proposed new lines? I don't think the entire routeneeds to be underground but there are certainly some areas where it makes sense. Keep holdingPSE's feet to the fire, neighbors!Reply · Like · Yesterday at 2:02pm

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