Puget Sound Energy posted online Wednesday the final report of a community advisory group that last month recommended two route preferences for running 18 miles of transmission lines from Renton to Redmond — a minority report can be found in the appendix.
The CAG reduced route options for PSE’s consideration from 18 to four in October, forwarding the Oak and Willow routes to the energy company after a lengthy final session in December. Drafting the dissent report were mostly members of both the CAG and the Coalition of Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy, which has opposed the erection of power poles to run 18 miles of 230 kV transmission lines since Energize Eastside was first announced.
Those favoring none of the route options wrote in their “minority report” their objections are based on a lack of consideration of alternatives to transmission lines, a lack of “real data” establishing the need for increased energy capacity and a perceived unfair process for selecting CAG members and facilitating their discussions. The only participation PSE was interested in, the minority report states, was in selecting a preferred route for transmission lines.
CENSE members — on and off the advisory group — stated as much during public comments at the CAG’s final meeting on Dec. 10. CENSE and its members on the CAG, who drafted the minority report, argue PSE refused to consider alternatives to meeting future energy demands on the Eastside and has inflated that demand by misrepresenting how much outside interests in places like Canada will benefit from Energize Eastside. CENSE believes an independent demand study commissioned by the Bellevue City Council will provide a true, lower need than PSE has indicated.
“It’s unfortunate that the answer is not what they’re looking for,” said Gretchen Aliabadi, communications manager for Energize Eastside, “but it’s still the answer.”She said PSE is certain its analysis of future energy demands and capacity needs is accurate, and its community advisory group process was thorough. The report’s publishing should show the community how much public involvement went into reaching these two recommendations — Willow and Oak.
“I think, from our standpoint and the rest of our customers who want the lights to stay on, is to let folks know we’ve done the work,” Aliabadi said.
Regardless of which side CAG members took, the decision to run transmission lines from Renton to Redmond — and the route used to that end — will ultimately be up to PSE. The energy company states in its CAG Final Report it will now make a decision — taking the advisory group’s recommendations under consideration — before seeking public input on issues like pole heights and other design details. The city is expected to approve the hiring of a consultant for drafting an environmental impact statement for Energize Eastside as early as this month.
