The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is now powered up with wind! According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WSSC is the #1 local government direct purchaser of clean, renewable energy in the United States.
In the spring of 2008, the Commission began its use of green power. A total of 14 wind turbines are spinning on a farm in southwestern Pennsylvania, generating 70,000-megawatt hours of power a year. That power is running one-third of WSSC’s water and wastewater operations.
While the use of wind power is growing more common, WSSC’s wind power purchase is anything but common. Instead of buying renewable energy certificates or RECs, WSSC has opted to purchase green power directly from a wind farm. This not only means a tremendous savings for our customers, but also demonstrates our commitment to improve air quality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
WSSC is paying a fixed price for 85% of the wind farm’s output over the next 10 years. To really understand the financial benefit, think about your own electric bill. As energy prices continue to skyrocket, imagine if you could lock in a reasonable rate for your electric bill and then pay that fixed price for the next decade. That’s exactly what WSSC has done. We expect to save about $20 million in energy costs over the length of our contract.
The Commission is also committed to protecting the environment for generations to come. By using wind power, WSSC is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 90 million pounds a year. That’s the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off the Beltway over the next 10 years.
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