Kenmore Signs New Agreement with PSE
KENMORE, WA - The City of Kenmore’s businesses and more than 22,000 residents are poised to receive improved electrical services through the City’s new Franchise Agreement with Puget Sound Energy (PSE). On June 10, 2019 the Kenmore City Council unanimously approved a new Franchise Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding. The agreements have five-year terms, which can be extended for an additional five years.
Leading up to 2016, Kenmore experienced electrical reliability challenges and an increased number of outages that caused widespread inconvenience for Kenmore residents and businesses. In 2016, the City hired Exponent Failure Analysis Inc., who produced a report for Kenmore officials showing that seven of the ten Kenmore circuits performed in the lowest quartile of the entire PSE system. The consultants also identified critical measures that would help enhance reliability. Both PSE and City of Kenmore officials were determined to work to address the issues and improve service.
“Puget Sound Energy knew greater reliability was our top priority,” said Mayor David Baker. “The need for reliable electricity is citywide. We have established clear goals for improved reliability and built a stronger working relationship with PSE. They are sincere in their commitment to provide service to the people of Kenmore and we’ve already begun to experience improved reliability through PSE updates and investments. We called for a turnaround, and this agreement can help continue that progress.”
Important components of the new five-year contract to improve the reliability of electrical services include:
- More frequent vegetation management to reduce damage to older, more vulnerable circuits
- Ongoing safety measures for natural gas facilities
- Detailed reliability reports and regular reporting by PSE to City leadership
- Clear process and requirements for coordinating with City growth plans
- Improved notification of third party users on PSE electrical poles
Overall reliability in Kenmore has noticeably improved since 2016. PSE began work from 2016 to 2018 to fix some of the most critical impacts to service reliability. Puget Sound Energy invested over $19 million in vegetation management and capital improvements around key Kenmore powerlines, including the rebuild of the Moorlands-Vitulli Transmission line, upgrades to the Kenmore Substation, and replacement of 14 underground cable segments.
“PSE is committed to providing our Kenmore customers with safe, dependable electric service,” said PSE Vice President of Communications and Customer Operations Andy Wappler. “We look forward to our continued relationship with the City of Kenmore to power their current and future needs.”
For more information about PSE’s reliability investments in the community, please visit PSE.com/Kenmore. PSE is available by app (downloadable in your smartphone app store), major social media accounts and at pse.com.
City of Kenmore Media Contact: Becky Range, brange@kenmorewa.gov, (425) 398-8900
Puget Sound Energy Media Contact: Janet Kim, Puget Sound Energy psenewsroom@pse.com, 1-888-831-7250
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