US Utility Proposes Transitioning Away from Gas for Customers

Energy Nouvelles

A bill proposed by Puget Sound Energy in the United States outlines a pathway for a combined gas and electricity utility to transition away from gas for all of its customers. The bill allows the utility to merge electric and gas customers into a single rate base and supports electrification of whole neighborhoods to allow for the decommission of gas lines in the future. Advocates worked through challenging negotiations to ensure low-income ratepayers will be first in line for electrification funding. Washington State requires all utilities to achieve 100 percent clean electricity by 2045, and this law paves the way for the state’s largest dual-fuel utility to decarbonize as well.