The City of Bellevue regulates land use and, under the Growth Management Act, the requirement to consider the location of existing and proposed utilities and potential utility corridors in land use planning. The City must also plan for the provision of essential public utilities such as electrical facilities consistent with the goals and objectives of its Comprehensive Plan, taking into consideration the public service obligation of the utility involved.
The City recognizes that siting major, new infrastructure in a well-established city such as Bellevue is complex and will require tough decisions. A reliable power supply is important to Bellevue residents, businesses and stakeholders today and will be critical as we form our future. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) recently completed Energize Eastside, an electrical facilities project to site and build approximately 18 miles of new 230-kilovolt transmission line from Redmond to Renton, through Bellevue.
2018 Franchise Agreement and related Memoranda of Understanding
- PSE Electric Franchise Ordinance No. 6424
- PSE Discontinued Poles MOU
- PSE Vegetation Management MOU
- PSE Records of Facilities MOU
- PSE Electrical System Performance Reliability MOU
The 2018 adoption of a new Franchise Agreement and related Memorandum of Understanding for Vegetation Management practices guide this work. The MOU documents the value of defining and developing these working relationships through cooperation, planning, communication, and coordination. This quietly effective approach reflects Bellevue's OneCity ethic in service to our communities.
It is implemented through an ongoing partnership between PSE, Asplundh, and City of Bellevue staff in Transportation, Parks and Community Services, Development Services, and Community Development.
Annual Electrical Reliability Workshop
The 2025 electrical reliability workshop is scheduled for Thursday, September 18, 4:00pm - 5:30pm.
The workshop is open to the public and conducted in a hybrid manner with both-in person and virtual options. The workshop will be held at Bellevue City Hall and also on Zoom. Please register at Eventbrite.
- 2024 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2025 Workshop Presentation Slides (forthcoming)
The 2024 electrical reliability workshop was held on September 19, 4:00pm - 5:30pm.
The 2023 electrical reliability workshop was held on September 28, 2023, 4:00pm - 5:30pm.
The 2022 electrical reliability workshop was held virtually on Sept. 27, 4:00pm - 5:30 p.m.
The 2021 electrical reliability workshop was held virtually on November 18, 6:00 - 7:30pm.
- 2020 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2020 Service Quality Report Card
- 2021 Workshop Presentation Slides
- Additional Community Questions
The 2020 electrical reliability workshop was not be held due to COVID-19 protocol.
The 2019 electrical reliability workshop was held on October 25, 2019, from 1-4 pm at Bellevue City Hall:
- 2018 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2018 Service Quality Report Card
- Answers to questions submitted to the 2018 electrical reliability workshop are here.
The 2018 electrical reliability workshop was held on Oct. 12, 2018. The following reports were presented:
- 2017 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2017 Service Quality Report Card
- PSE PowerPoint shown at the workshop
Ongoing reliability monitoring is accomplished with Exponent's Overview of 2016 Electrical System Reliability.
The 2017 electrical reliability workshop was held on Sept. 15, 2017, conducted via webinar.
- Webinar Q&A "chat" log
- Reliability Workshop slides
- 2016 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2016 Service Quality Report Card
Ongoing reliability monitoring is accomplished with Exponent's Overview of 2015 Electrical System Reliability.
The 2016 electrical reliability workshop was held on Aug. 19, 2016, conducted via webinar.
- Webinar audio and presentation recording
- Webinar Q&A "chat" log
- Reliability Workshop slides
- 2015 Bellevue Electrical Reliability Report
- 2015 Service Quality Report Card
The 2015 electrical reliability workshop was held on Aug. 6, 2015.
Independent Technical Analysis
On May 4, 2015, the City Council and public heard directly from Utility Systems Efficiencies, the independent consultant hired by the city to provide an independent technical analysis of Puget Sound Energy's proposal to upgrade Bellevue and the Eastside's electric facilities infrastructure.
Get the report:
- Independent Technical Analysis of Energize Eastside for the City of Bellevue Washington including report appendices A-F* April 28, 2015
- *Table 1 (separate) of Appendix D--Ask the Consultant--questions and comments as submitted.
- *Appendix E--Transmission Planning Standards TPL-001-4 info chart.
The latest study--and the second independent study commissioned by the City Council--confirms a need for the project to address growth in Bellevue; to address the reliability of the electric grid serving the Eastside; and a need to address regional grid power flows.
The USE analysis is the latest step in a timeline of process which has consistently demonstrated a need to upgrade electric facilities infrastructure serving Bellevue's growth and the Eastside.
The first independent study to identify this need was the Electrical Reliability Study (ERS) commissioned by the city in 2011. Here is an ERS implementation Report Card on that study.