Puget Sound Energy (PSE) partnered with the City of Bonney Lake to install its fourth Community Solar site on the roof of the city’s peaking storage water reservoir. At 30 feet tall and 275 feet across, there were some challenges including how to safely get equipment and workers up on the site. Working with the city and installer, PSE designed and launched the project featuring 1,368 solar panels providing 450 kilowatts of AC power.  

Community Solar is a way for PSE electric customers to replace some, or all, of their regular electricity use with 100% renewable local solar energy. PSE also offers Income Eligible shares for qualified residential electric customers at no cost. The energy generated will help reduce subscribers’ carbon footprint by replacing some or all of their regular electricity use with renewable energy without having to install or maintain their own rooftop solar panels.  

The PSE Community Solar program launched in 2021. PSE partners with communities and organizations to build new, local solar energy installations for the program. There are three other sites within PSE’s service area; one in Kittitas County near Ellensburg, the other at Olympia High School, and a third at Pine Lake Middle School in Sammamish. PSE’s fifth site, Manastash Ridge Community Solar, near Ellensburg, will be open for subscription soon. 

To learn more about PSE Community Solar, visit pse.com/communitysolar, and check out this video on Community Solar at Bonney Lake.