CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the City Light Department; authorizing the Department to establish eligibility requirements for customers participating in the Renewable Plus Program and charging a rate for the delivery of dedicated renewable energy and its associated Renewable Energy Credits supplied by the Department under the Renewable Plus Program; and amending Section 21.49.089 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
body
WHEREAS, Section 21.49.089 of the Seattle Municipal Code authorizes the City Light Department (“City Light”) to implement and offer a Renewable Plus Program (“Program”) that provides qualifying customers the option to purchase energy from renewable resources, together with associated renewable energy credits (“RECs”), on a long-term subscription basis; and
WHEREAS, the Program is currently limited to non-residential customers with a minimum aggregated annual consumption of 10,000 megawatt hours; and
WHEREAS, on April 2, 2024, City Light executed two agreements for the acquisition of energy from renewable resources and RECs over a 20-year term and dedicated to the Renewable Plus Program (“Power Purchase Agreements”); and
WHEREAS, City Light has executed a long-term contract with a Renewable Plus Participant, and City Light anticipates that other customers will participate in the Program as soon as City Light begins receiving the energy from the renewable resources and RECs under the Power Purchase Agreements; and
WHEREAS, an increasing number of City Light’s non-residential customers with aggregated annual consumption less than the minimum requirement of 10,000 megawatt hours have expressed interest in participating in the Program; and
WHEREAS, to the extent the Department has sufficient renewable resources and RECs, it wishes to expand the Program to serve additional non-residential customers below the current aggregated annual consumption threshold; and
WHEREAS, to cover administrative costs and offset the material financial impacts for non-participating customers, the Department seeks to charge Program participants an additional amount above standard rates per kilowatt-hour for all electricity delivered through the program during the billing period; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 21.49.089 of the Seattle Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance 126437, is amended as follows:
21.49.089 Renewable Plus Program
A. The Department shall implement and offer a Renewable Plus Program that enables qualifying customers to purchase energy from renewable resources, subject to the ability of the Department to acquire or generate adequate amounts of such energy to meet demand, together with associated renewable energy credits (RECs), on a long-term subscription basis. ((The Renewable Plus Program shall be open to customers demonstrating a minimum aggregated annual consumption of 10,000 megawatt hours (MWhs).)) The Department may ((implement additional)) establish eligibility requirements to participate in the Renewable Plus Program and any other rules ((and conditions)) associated with the Renewable Plus Program that are in the best interests of the Department and are necessary or convenient for the implementation and operation of the Renewable Plus Program.
B. The Department may execute long-term customer commitment contracts with qualifying customers to purchase energy and RECs associated with renewable resources for a period not exceeding 20 years.
C. The Department is authorized to ((shall)) provide through purchase or generation ((all)) renewable energy ((acquired)) for the Renewable Plus Program and ((will)) integrate it into its existing supply portfolio as business conditions allow.
D. The Department shall retire the Renewable Energy Certificates associated with the energy purchased by customers under the Renewable Plus Program ((with)) through the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System, or its successor organization, toward the associated renewable power served to participating customers.
E. A Renewable Plus Program rate charge will be added to all enrolled accounts of participating customers. Effective January 1, 2026, the charge will be 1.47 cents per kWh for all electricity delivered through the program during the billing period.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
____________________________________
President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ____day of _______________, 2025.
____________________________________
Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
____________________________________
Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)