The Richland City Council on Oct. 7 adopted Resolution No. 2025-121, approving the city’s 2025 Clean Energy Implementation Plan along with a conservation potential assessment and a demand-response potential assessment. The resolution passed by a unanimous voice vote following a staff presentation.

City staff framed the plan as part of the state's overlapping requirements under the Energy Independence Act and the Clean Energy Transformation Act, which ask municipal utilities to assess conservation and demand-response opportunities and set targets for reducing carbon intensity. In the presentation, staff noted that Richland’s wholesale power portfolio is approximately 92% carbon-free, supplied primarily by Columbia Generating Station and hydropower, exceeding the state’s 80% benchmark.

Staff said the three consultant reports clarify the city’s remaining conservation potential, demand-response opportunities and recommended implementation actions. Public workshops and community partner meetings were held in April and August to gather input, staff said. One community request that emerged during outreach, staff noted, was to reduce utility deposits for low-income or highly impacted customers; staff tied the deposit proposal discussed elsewhere on the Oct. 7 agenda to recommendations in the clean-energy outreach process.

The Utility Advisory Committee reviewed the reports and supported the recommendations, staff said. If approved, staff will submit the three reports to the Washington State Department of Commerce as the city’s plan under state law.

The motion to adopt the resolution was made and seconded; council approved it by voice vote. Mayor Richardson and all councilmembers present voted in favor.

Ending: The council approved the resolution unanimously; staff will submit the adopted plans and assessments to the Washington State Department of Commerce and proceed with the implementation steps outlined in the consultant reports.