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Laurel, MD - May 12, 2008: Today, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown joined area leaders, and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and Constellation Energy officials to celebrate the Power Up! of WSSC's wind power initiative. Right now, fourteen 403-foot high turbines in southwestern Pennsylvania are providing WSSC with one-third of its power. The power is being purchased at a fixed rate for the next ten years, lowering the Commission's projected energy costs by at least $20 million.
The project makes WSSC the #1 local government direct purchaser of clean, renewable energy in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"This effort is a win-win-win for WSSC, our customers and the environment," said Adrienne A. Mandel, Commission Chair. "This effort locks in a significant portion of our energy prices for the next ten years, avoiding millions in costs to our customers while providing substantial environmental benefits for the entire Baltimore-Washington area."
"I applaud the Commission's partnership with Constellation. Our efforts to protect the environment and promote alternative energy are strengthened when we are able to forge public-private partnerships," Lt. Governor Brown said. "Going green, though, isn't just about the environment - it saves working people money and that is exactly what we are celebrating today."
"Our vision is to become THE world class provider of water and wastewater services," said Teresa D. Daniell, WSSC Interim General Manager. "By becoming the number one local government direct purchaser of renewable energy, we hope to set the example for our entire industry. Investing in wind power benefits our customers and our environment while improving our bottom line."
Under the competitively bid agreement brokered by Constellation Energy, WSSC is receiving 85 percent - 70,000-megawatt hours of power a year - of the output of a wind farm in Stoystown, Pennsylvania. The plan will reduce pollutants in the Washington Metropolitan Area's airshed by approximately a billion pounds over the next decade. In the first year alone, WSSC's initiative will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 83.7 million pounds, sulfur dioxide emissions by 583,000 pounds, and NOx (a precursor to ozone) emissions by 188,000 pounds. It's the equivalent of taking 10,000 cars off of the Capital Beltway every year.
"This project highlights the ability of forward-thinking organizations like WSSC to both reduce their energy costs and commit to renewable power sources, and it is also made possible through innovative energy programs offered by the state of Maryland," said Greg Jarosinski, president and CEO of Constellation Energy's Projects & Services Group. "We believe that Constellation Energy's successful relationship with WSSC can serve as a model for others looking to make their operations more efficient and sustainable."
"This initiative is an example of the state of Maryland's energy performance contracting program which makes it possible for institutions like WSSC to implement energy conservation and renewable energy projects," continued Jarosinski. "Through this program, WSSC has worked with Constellation Energy for a number of years on projects that address both the demand side and supply side of the energy cycle."
The electricity generated by the wind farm in Stoystown is delivered to the Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland (PJM) power grid, which supplies WSSC's local electrical transmission providers (Pepco or BGE). WSSC uses electricity to power pumps, mixers and ultraviolet disinfection systems in its plants.
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WSSC is the 8th largest water and wastewater utility in the nation, serving nearly 1.8 million residents in Prince George's and Montgomery counties. We operate and maintain seven water and wastewater plants, nearly 5,500 miles of fresh water pipeline and more than 5,300 miles of sewer pipeline. In our 90-year history, our drinking water has always met or exceeded federal standards.
