Council committee approves rate for City Light Renewable Plus program, advancing two PPAs

The Sustainability, City Light and Arts & Culture Committee recommended approval of an ordinance to establish a rate for Seattle City Light’s Renewable Plus program, a subscription product that bundles renewable energy kilowatt‑hours with the associated renewable energy credits. The ordinance (CB 120952) was read into the record and the committee voted 5–0 to send the bill to the full City Council for final action on April 29.

The Renewable Plus program was authorized by the Council in 2022 and City Light officials told the committee the current vote sets the customer rate that will recover administrative costs, renewable energy credits and the program development costs. Laurie Moen, manager of solutions design and analysis with Customer Energy Solutions at Seattle City light, told the committee, “We are coming back to the Council to establish a rate for a program that was authorized under an ordinance in 2022 to provide a bundled energy product to our large commercial customers.”

Why it matters: City Light says the program lets large commercial customers voluntarily subscribe to additional renewable generation without shifting net costs to non‑participants. Company officials described the program as a way for customers to retire renewable energy credits (RECs) to support climate goals while the utility uses subscription revenue to help fund new renewable projects.

Key facts and how the program works - City Light said it signed two purchase power agreements (PPAs) in 2024 for new solar facilities in Central Oregon that together add 87 megawatts of generation to the utility’s portfolio. Don Lindell, general manager and chief executive officer of Seattle City Light, described the projects as the utility’s first new renewable PPAs tied to this program. - City Light estimated the guaranteed annual output of those two projects at roughly 184,000 megawatt‑hours; the utility equated that figure to the annual use of about 184,000 single‑family homes. - The rate is intended to be net neutral for non‑participants: the fee is designed to cover administrative costs, RECs and program development expenses. Moen explained the rate will recover sunk costs in the first three years and thereafter be adjusted to market conditions for RECs. - The ordinance sets a structure by which the utility will revisit administrative costs on a standard cycle (every two years, City Light said) and will adjust charges based on REC market value and subscription levels. City Light staff said they expect the initial tranche to be heavily subscribed and estimated an 84% subscription level in the near term. - Participants receive the retired RECs associated with their subscription, which City Light said customers can use to demonstrate renewable energy claims for certifications or corporate reporting.

Council discussion and oversight Committee members questioned how the product would avoid cost shifts and sought context for the 87‑megawatt figure. Lindell and staff said transmission is used to bring generation from Central Oregon to Seattle’s network and that City Light expects the new projects to help meet long‑term resource needs. Lindell said, “We need to almost double our net capacity in the next 9 years,” describing the 87 megawatts as an early step toward a larger capacity goal.

Committee action and next steps Chair Alexis Rink moved the recommendation and Councilmember Strauss seconded. The committee clerk recorded roll‑call votes of Aye from Councilmembers Moore, Saka, Strauss, Solomon and Chair Rink; the committee reported 5 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions. The committee’s recommendation that CB 120952 be sent to the April 29 City Council meeting will place the ordinance on the council docket for final consideration.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting included the two PPAs signed in 2024, the program’s three‑year sunk‑cost recovery period, the expectation of administrative adjustments every two years, and the utility’s statement that participants receive retired renewable energy credits.

Background: City Light’s Customer Energy Solutions team described the Renewable Plus program as one of several customer‑facing offerings to reduce energy use or provide additional renewable options. Company staff thanked large customers—including Amazon and Climate Pledge Arena—for collaborating on the program design.

Provable transcript evidence: The committee read CB 120952 into the record and City Light staff briefed the committee before the vote. The ordinance was recommended to the full council by unanimous committee vote and scheduled for the April 29 council meeting.