ISSAQUAH, Wash. – Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is consistently searching for ways to improve the strength, reliability and capacity of our grid.
This is why PSE launched a suite of demand response (DR) programs called PSE Flex last fall. These programs manage energy demand on the electrical grid during peak periods in the summer and winter.
PSE sends out emails to notify customers when peak energy use is forecasted and they can choose to reduce energy use, referred to as an “event.” All PSE electric customers get these peak event emails, although about 300,000 customers are part of our incentivized programs.
There were seven events in our first winter season, which ran from November 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. During these events, nearly 300,000 customers reduced their energy use. On March 6, we experienced our most significant reduction with approximately 34 megawatts (MW) being curtailed. This could power nearly 70 homes for three months.
PSE nearly reached 40% of its 2025 goal to save 86 MW as part of its Clean Energy Implementation Plan after the first season. The success of the first season is just the beginning, as PSE plans to continue these programs beyond the 2025 milestone.
“These programs are a win-win for PSE as well as our customers,” said Jeff Trip, PSE’s manager of strategic program initiatives. “Customers get financial incentives for participating in these programs, while at the same time, it reduces the amount of infrastructure and generation resources that PSE needs to build to meet these periods of high demand.”
PSE’s Flex Rewards, Flex Smart and Flex EV programs are all available for you to choose from if you wish to join our incentivized programs. Just enrolling can see you get up to $50 (depending on the program) before you even start saving energy!
Taking small energy-saving actions during Flex events, like turning off large appliances, can collectively make a big impact in smoothing out demand as we shift from less-efficient to cleaner resources.
By working together, we can reduce spikes in demand and ensure reliable energy for our community. To find more information on PSE’s demand response programs, please visit our PSE Flex webpage.
