Otis Singleton
Washington's energy sector has evolved from its historical dependence on logging and agriculture to become a leader in energy-intensive industries, such as aerospace and forest products. The state's electricity primarily originates from a mix of renewable and non-renewable sources. Notably, Washington is a leader in hydropower, with the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River being the largest power plant in the United States and one of the largest hydroelectric power plants globally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity Sources | Hydropower, natural gas, nuclear energy, wind, coal, solar, biomass |
| Largest Electricity Supplier | Puget Sound Energy |
| Number of Customers | 1.2 million |
| Total Capacity | 6,512 megawatts (MW) |
| Largest Power Plant | Grand Coulee Dam |
| Power Plant Capacity | 30,884 MW |
| Net Generation | 102,960 GWh |
| Hydropower Generation | 59.6% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Natural Gas Generation | 17.7% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Nuclear Energy Generation | 9.8% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Wind Energy Generation | 8.3% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Coal Generation | 2.8% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Biomass Generation | 1.1% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Solar Generation | 0.7% of total electricity generation in 2024 |
| Photovoltaic Installations | 643 GWh |
| Natural Gas Source | Canada |
| Natural Gas Usage | Less than half of the states in the U.S. |
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Hydroelectric power
Hydropower is electricity produced at dams by water falling through turbines. In 2022, hydropower accounted for two-thirds of the energy used in Washington. In 2024, hydropower accounted for 59.6% of Washington's net electricity generation. Washington has the largest capacity power station in the nation at Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River, which is also one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world. The dam supplied about 15.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity to 8 western states and Canada in 2024.
Hydropower has a long history in the Pacific Northwest, particularly in the Columbia River Basin. The first hydroelectric dam in the region was built in Spokane in 1885. An entrepreneur named George Fitch installed a small dynamo, powered by the river, in the basement of a flour mill and sent electricity to a dozen arc lights in downtown Spokane. In 1889, the first long-distance transmission of electricity in the Northwest occurred when a direct-current line was built from a small hydropower plant at Willamette Falls to light street lights in Portland, a distance of about 13 miles.
In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower shifted the nation's power policy from federal dam construction to encouraging local utilities to build dams on major rivers. Three public utility districts in central Washington took advantage of this shift and built four huge dams on the Columbia during the 1950s and 1960s: Priest Rapids, Wanapum, Rocky Reach, and Wells. The Columbia River Basin has 150 hydropower dams, 18 of which are on the Columbia River and its main tributary, the Snake River. These dams provide electricity to 60% of people in the Northwest and account for 90% of renewable energy generation in the region.
However, hydropower production has become less reliable due to climate change. Low precipitation and high temperatures in 2023 led to a 20% decrease in hydropower generation in Washington compared to 2021. More frequent periods of drought, high temperatures, and heavy rains could further impact hydropower production in the future. While hydropower will continue to be a cornerstone of Washington's clean energy transition, it will need to be supplemented by other sources of renewable energy.
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Natural gas
While Washington has no natural gas reserves or production, it does have one underground natural gas storage field, the Jackson Prairie Gas Storage Facility in western Washington. This facility has a total storage capacity of about 47 billion cubic feet. Despite this, Washington consumes less natural gas than over half of the states and has a lower per capita consumption than all but four other states.
The electric power sector is the largest natural gas consumer in Washington, followed by the residential sector, where about one-third of households rely on natural gas as their primary heating fuel. The industrial sector accounts for about one-fifth of natural gas consumption, while the commercial sector consumes one-sixth. In contrast to most other U.S. states, only 50% of Washington households use natural gas as their primary heating fuel, with the majority using electricity instead.
In recent years, there has been a push to transition from natural gas to electric energy in Washington. Building code changes have made natural gas a more expensive option in construction, and initiatives like I-2066 and ESHB 1589 aim to reduce natural gas use and promote cost-effective alternatives to meet the state's long-term climate goals. However, opponents of these initiatives argue that the state's current electrical grid may not be able to handle a full transition to all-electric energy.
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Nuclear power
The Columbia Generating Station has played a crucial role in the state's energy landscape. In 2000, the plant was recognised as a key contributor to the region's energy supply, providing significant cost savings during the Western Energy Crisis of 2000-2001. In 2011, the plant underwent extensive maintenance during a planned refueling outage, including the replacement of the original condenser, which improved plant efficiency and increased electricity production.
The plant's operator, Energy Northwest, has actively pursued initiatives to enhance its operations. In 2012, they entered into agreements to convert depleted uranium into low-cost enriched uranium for future processing into nuclear fuel, expected to generate substantial savings. Additionally, Energy Northwest announced plans in 2024 to expand the station with 12 small modular reactors (SMRs).
Washington state has demonstrated a commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources. The Clean Energy Transformation Act, passed in 2019, mandates the elimination of coal from electricity generation by 2025 and targets 100% renewable or non-emitting electricity by 2045, with nuclear power likely playing a significant role in achieving this goal. The state's nuclear power capabilities, combined with its aggressive plans to phase out fossil fuels, position it as a leader in the pursuit of clean and sustainable energy.
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Coal
In 2024, coal fuelled about 3% of the total electricity generated in Washington State. This coal-fired electricity was produced by the TransAlta Centralia Plant, also known as the Centralia Power Plant or the Centralia Big Hanaford Power Plant. The plant is located in Lewis County, east of Centralia, and is owned by TransAlta.
The Centralia Power Plant is the only commercial coal-fired power plant in Washington State. It has two coal-fired generating units with a combined capacity of 1,340 MW. One of these units was shut down at the end of 2020, and the other is scheduled for retirement at the end of 2025, in accordance with the TransAlta Energy Transition Bill, signed in 2011 by Governor Christine Gregoire.
The coal used by the Centralia Power Plant was sourced from the nearby Centralia Coal Mine, the largest coal mine in Washington State, until it closed down in 2006. Seventy per cent of the sub-bituminous coal used by the plant was delivered by truck from the Centralia Coal Mine, with the remaining 30% sourced from the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming. By 2008, the plant was burning 100% Powder River Basin coal.
The Centralia Power Plant has been a significant source of pollution in Washington State. It emits 350 pounds of mercury pollution annually, making it the state's largest single source of mercury pollution. In the early 2000s, TransAlta agreed to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 20%, and a Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) system was installed in 2012 to further reduce NOx emissions.
In 2025, with the expected closure of the Centralia Power Plant, Washington State will phase out coal-fired electricity from its energy mix. This is in line with the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which requires electric utilities serving retail customers to eliminate coal-fired electricity by 2025 and achieve greenhouse gas emissions neutrality by 2030. By 2045, all electricity sold to in-state customers in Washington must come from renewable or non-emitting sources.
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Wind, biomass and solar
Washington's economy was historically based on logging and agriculture, and forests cover about half of the state's land area. This has led to the development of biomass energy, which accounted for 1% of Washington's total electricity net generation in 2024, and about 2% of the nation's total net generation from biomass. Wood and wood-derived fuels are the main sources of biomass used to fuel electricity generation in the state. The state also has two wood pellet manufacturing plants with a combined production capacity of 100,000 tons per year, and these wood pellets are used for electricity generation and space heating.
Washington has also been investing in solar energy, with almost three-fifths of its solar energy coming from small-scale, customer-sited solar photovoltaic (PV) power installations, such as rooftop solar panels. The state's first utility-scale solar PV project, the Adams Nielson Solar Farm, is a 19-megawatt facility that came online in 2018. There are also various incentives in place to encourage the adoption of solar energy, such as sales tax exemptions, net metering laws, and federal tax credits.
Wind power is another significant source of renewable energy in Washington, providing about 12% of the state's total renewable power generation. The state has been focusing on accelerating the use of wind power through initiatives like the Wind Energy Technologies Office and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Wind Prospector tool, which supports resource assessment and data exploration for wind development. Washington's coastal location and climate also provide ample opportunities for wind power development.
Overall, these three sources of renewable energy—wind, biomass, and solar—play a crucial role in Washington's energy mix and contribute to the state's goal of reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices.
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Frequently asked questions
The main sources of electricity in Washington state are hydropower, natural gas, wind, coal, nuclear energy, solar, and biomass.
In 2024, the breakdown of electricity generation by source in Washington was:
- Hydroelectric: 59.6%
- Natural gas: 17.7%
- Nuclear: 9.8%
- Wind: 8.3%
- Coal: 2.8%
- Biomass: 1.1%
- Solar and other gases: 0.7%
Washington has some of the most ambitious clean energy laws in the nation. By 2025, electric utilities must phase out coal-fired electricity. By 2030, utilities must have electricity supplies that are greenhouse gas emissions neutral, and by 2045, 100% of electricity sold to in-state customers must come from renewable or non-emitting sources.
