PSE | Energize Eastside Improvements Project

Fire Weather Forecasted 

Red Flag Warnings have been issued for the western and eastern Cascade slopes for gusty winds and lightning storms. As part of PSE’s wildfire safe operations, we have turned on system settings that are more sensitive to potential hazards on targeted lines in these areas.

Enhanced Powerline Settings are designed to help keep you safe, but they may result in unplanned power outages.

This is NOT a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), where we proactively turn off power in advance of severe weather.

We understand the impact unexpected outages can have on our customers, so we've added additional staffing for our first responders and our operations center.

For more information or to report a power outage, visit PSE’s Outage map.

Due to numerous wildfires in our region, air quality in many areas is within the unhealthy range. Wildfire smoke can seriously affect health, especially for high-risk individuals. To learn more about how to protect yourself and others, please visit the Washington State Department of Health page on staying safe from smoke.

Energize Eastside

Energize Eastside is now energized. We completed construction on Energize Eastside and energized the new 230 kV transmission lines in north Bellevue and Redmond in December 2024. In fall 2023, we energized the new Richards Creek substation and the new 230 kV transmission lines from Renton to south Bellevue.

Now, Energize Eastside is providing additional system capacity to Eastside customers to keep the lights on for years to come. Thank you for your patience during construction and restoration!

Property owners along the corridor - caring for plants

We will monitor the trees and shrubs that we recently planted along the corridor for one year after construction is completed. Property owners will be responsible for caring for their new plants. Check out the plant care guide for tips to take care of your new plants.

If you decide to plant more trees and shrubs within the transmission corridor on your property, it is your responsibility to ensure that the selected plant species have a maximum mature height of 15 feet or less if located in the easement area. Any new plants should be located at least six feet away from power poles. We encourage you to contact the PSE Vegetation Management department at VegetationManagement@pse.com to request an arborist to review your plant selection for compatibility with the transmission corridor.

Project overview

Energize Eastside includes the new Richards Creek substation in Bellevue and upgrades approximately 16 miles of transmission poles and lines from 115 kV to 230 kV within an existing corridor from Renton to Redmond. The project is needed to comply with mandatory federal transmission planning requirements and support growth in King County. As the backbone of the Eastside’s transmission system, Energize Eastside upgrades the electric infrastructure built in the 1960s.