News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 26, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke announces energy alert to ensure conservation and increase electricity supplies

OLYMPIA - Gov. Gary Locke today announced an energy supply alert to ensure Washington residents and businesses have enough electricity while protecting air quality.
"A few days ago, I announced a package of bipartisan legislation to address Washington's growing energy supply problem," Locke said. "Today, I'm taking another step toward energy generation and conservation."

In announcing the alert, Locke signed three orders that:

Require state and local governments to cut electricity and natural gas use by 10 percent for at least 90 days

Provide utilities and companies the authority to use temporary diesel generators for the next 30 days under strict environmental conditions

Allow the City of Tacoma steam plant to burn alternative fuels, such as used oil and asphalt wastes, for the next 30 days, but not to exceed currently permitted pollution emissions.

"The state law gives my office the responsibility to do what it takes, when necessary, to provide more energy - in this case electricity - to ensure the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of this state," Locke said of the alert.

"This is a strong preventative measure I am taking to ensure continued, meaningful conservation," he added.

The conservation order, which is ongoing, requires state and local governments to slash electricity consumption by 10 percent. It also requires those governments to find ways to reduce energy use during peak demand times in the morning and late afternoon.

Two of these orders mean that utilities, such as Tacoma Power, can speed up the rules requiring them to take actions necessary to protect air quality.

He said the diesel generator and Tacoma steam plant orders will permit the facilities to generate an estimated 70 megawatts of electricity, enough power for 70,000 homes.

"But I want to stress that before we allow those generators to be fired up, Tacoma Power will agree to offset particulate air emissions from those generators pound for pound in the near future," the governor said.

Any utility or business operating under this order must offset the air pollution by investing in new programs that make air quality better than it is today. Those may include purchasing clean-burning vehicles, burning low-sulfur fuels in the generators and installing pollution-control equipment when it becomes available.

Locke said the Tacoma steam plant order specifies that burning alternative fuels cannot cause more pollution than the plant currently produces.

The bipartisan legislative package announced on Wednesday focuses on conservation, increasing power production and protecting the state's most vulnerable citizens from price increases.
Related Links:
- Governor's Energy Supply Alert Order No. 01-01 (Tacoma Steam Plant)
- Governor's Energy Supply Alert Order No. 01-02 (Temporary Electric Generators)
- Governor's Energy Supply Alert Order No. 01-03 (Energy Conservation)
- Enough Energy for Washington


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