Avista Introduces Solar Select™ Renewable Energy

SPOKANE, Wash., April 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avista is pleased to announce it will be bringing a new renewable solar energy project to its large commercial and industrial electric customers in Washington. Avista is one of only 15 utilities in the country that offers a renewable energy green tariff designed to meet commercial and industrial customers’ sustainability and carbon reduction goals.

The Solar Select program is powered by 28 Megawatts DC of renewable solar energy, making this array 25 times larger than the current largest array in WA. Located in Lind, WA, part of Avista’s electric service territory, the array will be comprised of more than 81,000 panels that span 170 acres and generate enough electricity to supply approximately 4,000 homes annually.

Solar Select demonstrates the power of partnership. Through collaboration, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, Strata Solar, the WSU Energy Program, and Avista created a cost effective structure to bring solar energy to large business customers in Eastern Washington, allowing them to begin to meet their desired goals.

Avista’s interest in the development of a voluntary commercial solar program is consistent with the Company’s ongoing commitment to provide customers with renewable energy choices.  In recent years, an increasing number of Avista customers have requested more options to subscribe to renewable energy programs, and Avista is uniquely suited to evaluate and assess the development of a renewable energy product that meets our customers’ needs today and into the future.

Construction of this new facility is scheduled to begin this spring with commercial operation starting mid-December 2018. Solar Select will be offered on a first come, first served basis for Avista’s large commercial and industrial electric customers in WA.  To learn more about the program we encourage customers to visit myavista.com/solarselect . Official enrollment for this program begins May 1, 2018.

About Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 375,000 customers and natural gas to 336,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million.  Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp . (NYSE:AVA). For more information, please visit www.avistautilities.com .

The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation. SOURCE: Avista Corporation

About Strata Solar
Strata Solar is a leading provider of utility-scale, commercial and community solar PV systems. Since 2008, Strata has constructed over 1.2 GW in total solar capacity and maintains a development pipeline of over 3.5 GW. The company's integrated approach, which includes development, financing, engineering, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance, allows Strata to consistently develop and build quality projects with long-term ownership in mind. Strata is consistently ranked one of the top utility-scale solar integrators in the U.S.

Contact:
Media: Mary Tyrie (509) 495-4470 mary.tyrie@avistacorp.com  
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