PSE gives $2.5 million in grants

Puget Sound Energy has awarded more than $2.5 million in energy conservation grants to six of its largest commercial customers in Thurston County.

Taken together, the projects will save enough energy to power more than 300 homes per year.

The largest grant ever issued by the utility company went to the LOTT Alliance — $1.7 million to pay 70 percent of the costs of a project to produce energy from methane gas that currently is burned off into the atmosphere at the LOTT treatment in downtown Olympia.

The LOTT co-generation plant, scheduled to be completed this year, will save the sewer partners $116,000 a year in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the plant.

"Water and energy are inextricably linked," said Cal Shirley, PSE's vice president of energy efficiency services. "The co-generation project will substantially reduce the amount of energy needed to treat wastewater by using one of the treatment by-products as fuel.

Five other energy conservation grants valued at $788,500 were awarded to The Evergreen State College, Saint Martin's University, Providence St. Peter Hospital, and the state Departments of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources buildings in Olympia.

John Dodge covers the environment and energy for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5444 or jdodge@theolympian.com.