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Tumwater committee recommends five-year extension of Puget Sound Energy franchise agreement
Summary
The City of Tumwater Public Works Committee voted to place an ordinance renewing Puget Sound Energy's franchise to use city rights-of-way on the July 1 council calendar for first reading. Staff said the extension continues existing terms with only minor legal updates.
The City of Tumwater Public Works Committee voted June 5 to place an ordinance renewing Puget Sound Energy’s franchise agreement on the July 1, 2025, City Council consideration calendar for first reading.
The franchise agreement allows Puget Sound Energy to operate and maintain equipment in Tumwater’s public rights-of-way to provide electrical and gas service to residents and businesses. "The franchise agreement basically lets Puget Sound Energy operate in our right of way, their equipment, maintaining their equipment to provide electrical service and, gas, just, energy services to, residents and businesses and people in the city," Jennifer Radcliffe, GIS program manager for the City of Tumwater, said during the committee meeting.
Radcliffe told the committee the current agreement was a 10-year term with options to extend for two additional five-year terms; the current 10-year term is ending and Puget Sound Energy has requested the first five-year extension. Radcliffe said the proposed ordinance is "no change" in effect from the existing provisions, aside from minor legal updates.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about the contract term. One member summarized the sequence: the city is extending the existing contract for five years, after which the franchise may be renegotiated or replaced. No dissenting comments were raised during discussion.
The committee approved a motion to place Ordinance No. O2025-002 (renewing the Puget Sound Energy franchise agreement) on the July 1 council calendar for first reading; the motion passed with the committee voting "aye."
The committee action was procedural: it places the ordinance on the council agenda for consideration rather than adopting the franchise extension itself. Council or the mayor would take any final action required under City rules when the ordinance is considered at the full council meeting.
Committee discussion and Radcliffe’s presentation did not reference any change in fees or new operational terms that would alter Puget Sound Energy’s use of the rights-of-way beyond the contract-extension language.
