How does Puget Sound Energy validate its forecasting algorithms? Other regional utilities (Seattle City Light, Portland General Electric, Snohomish PUD, Avista/Spokane) readily make their data available. However, PSE does not.

The Sierra Club said it best: “PSE selectively withheld, obfuscated, or failed to produce underlying data… PSE presented the results as a “black-box” analysis without providing an opportunity for the public to verify or refute the methodology or results… As a result, the public must accept, without the ability to verify, that PSE’s assumptions are valid and that PSE executed its analysis properly. PSE’s IRP results must therefore be viewed cautiously. Without public transparency, PSE’s results and conclusions run the risk of being self-serving justifications for the preexisting internal business plans of the company…”

PSE’s “black box” forecasted electricity demand raises numerous questions. City staff and the Independent consultant must dig deep in order to solve the right problem.

Let’s identify the true root cause of our alleged electricity needs, not chase red herrings or just address symptoms. Only then can we agree on what a successful solution will look like.

Russell Borgmann, Bellevue