Fog Covered Skyline
Seattle City Light DEBRA SMITH, General Manager and CEO
Strategic Plan
MY ACCOUNT
Pay My Bill   

2013 Strategic Plan Progress Report

Advancing On The Preferred Path


In 2012, the City Council and Mayor adopted a six-year strategic plan to predictably and responsibly guide City Light's ability to meet current and future needs. The plan's "preferred path" is underpinned by 22 baseline assumptions that are organized around four key objectives:
  • Improve customer experience and rate predictability
  • Increase workforce performance and safety practices
  • Enhance organizational performance
  • Continue conservation and environmental stewardship leadership

Significant Progress In 2013


City Light is delivering on its promise, it met or exceeded 20 out of 22 metrics identified in the plan. Key 2013 accomplishments include:
Improved reliability: Achieved average of one outage per customer during 2013 - beating goal
A new work and asset management program to identify, assess and prioritize work along with increased tree trimming and a systemic pole replacement program helped improve reliability in 2013.
Street lights: Exceeded goal of responding to 90 percent of streetlight reports within 10 days
City Light revamped its streetlight re-lamping cycle to improve service, speed up streetlight repair time and reduce costs.
Unit 55 rewind: Increased revenue under normal hydro conditions thorough 15 percent improvement in generating
This project repaired the Unit 55 Generator at the Boundary Dam which has been damaged by long-term exposure to excessive vibration and replaced turbine runners to improve efficiency. Overhaul
Boundary Dam relicense: New FERC license secures a low-cost clean resource until 2055
City Light successfully developed protection, mitigation and enhancement measures leading to successful renewal of the Boundary Bay Dam FERC license issued in 2013.
Energy conservation and environmental leadership: City Light is implementing a five-year energy conservation strategy that will double the utility's energy savings
In 2013, City Light launched a "pay-for-performance" pilot project with three commercial office buildings to test innovative new approaches for building energy savings. City Light also supported two Solarize Seattle neighborhood campaigns resulting in more than 300 customer solar installations with a total of 452 installed city-wide.

2013 Strategic Plan Efficiencies Exceed Target


The 2013 - 2018 Strategic Plan includes efficiencies that have already been undertaken and new initiatives, yet to be implemented. Existing efficiencies have resulted in savings of $53 million per year. In 2013, City Light achieved $10 million in new savings, exceeding the target by $3 million.

All told, City Light has identified new efforts that are projected to save $18 million per year within the next six years, including revised transmission, distribution and generation practices; improved project management on capital projects; and improved work processes.
Related Content

Annual Report
Read about our progress and commitment to the Strategic Plan.

Environment Report
See why we are the nation's greenest utility.

Seattle City Light Review Panel
An independent panel overseeing City Light's strategic planning.

contact us

Have a question or a comment to share with us? Email us as scl_strategicPlan@seattle.gov

Utility Discounts
SAVE 60%
The Utility Discount Program is a great way to lower bills.

LEARN MORE  


  • Contact Seattle City Light

    700 5th Avenue
    Suite 3200
    P.O. Box 34023
    Seattle, WA 98124-4023


    Account & General Questions:


    Contact Us