Voters approve renewable energy initiative (Initiative 937, WA)

[jpak]

http://www.kxly.com/news/index.php?sect_rank=4§ion_id=603&story_id=6171

OLYMPIA -- Washington voters have approved a ballot initiative requiring large utility companies to increase their renewable energy sources to 15 percent of their supply by 2020.

Updated vote totals Thursday afternoon show Initiative 937 has passed with about 52 percent of the vote in favor and about 48 percent against, with 64 percent of the expected vote counted.

Under the initiative, utilities with more than 25-thousand customers will have to meet 15 percent of their annual loads with resources such as wind power, solar energy or sewage gas.

Under current Washington law, utilities are already required to offer customers the option of investing in renewable energy, by paying extra on their monthly bill.

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