Template revised April 12, 2018.

COMMISSION

AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No. 11b

BRIEFING ITEM Date of Meeting April 22, 2025

DATE: March 7, 2025

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Seattle Waterfront Clean Energy Strategy (SWCES) is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between

the Port of Seattle (Port), Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), and Seattle City Light (SCL) to

assess the power infrastructure investments and strategies needed to support the electrification

of buildings, vehicles, vessels, and equipment on Port-owned properties. Electrification is a

primary strategy for achieving the Port’s climate and clean air goals as outlined in the Maritime

Climate and Clean Air Action Plan (MCAAP), Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy (NWPCAS), and

Century Agenda.

The SWCES delivers technical, policy, and planning recommendations for how the Port and its

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

In the Pacific Northwest (PNW), access to affordable, low-carbon electricity is a key advantage to

the electrification of buildings, vehicles, vessels and equipment. Electrification using the PNW’s

clean power can also significantly reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Through the NWPCAS, the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma and NWSA adopted a shared vision to

phase out seaport-related emissions by 2050. In 2021 and 2023 respectively, the Port of Seattle

and NWSA accelerated goals for their own port-controlled operations, aiming to reach net zero

greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The City of Seattle similarly established targets essential to

meeting global climate commitments, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality city-wide by 2050.

Template revised September 22, 2016.

ports. Across the Seattle harbor, several thousand vehicles (including heavy-duty trucks,

motorcoaches, ground transportation, and fleet vehicles), hundreds of pieces of equipment

(including cargo handling and construction equipment), hundreds of vessel calls (including ocean-

going and harbor vessels) and dozens of buildings demand a mix of energy sources,

predominantly petroleum-based liquid fuels and natural gas. Together, these fossil fuels

comprise approximately 78% of total onsite energy use. However, Seattle and the region are

preparing for a significant transition to lower emission fuel sources.

As the ports and their tenants transition to electrified options, the Port’s infrastructure will need

to be prepared to handle the additional electrical loads. The SWCES is specifically designed to

support the participation in and achievement of common goals around the SWCES. These

include:

• Planning jointly for the provision of clean energy, including the inventory, forecast,

analysis, and identification of coordinated actions.

• Working together through a designated representative from each organization to manage

the Strategy and establish a collaborative and communicative platform for identifying and

assessing alternatives, developing solutions, reaching decisions, and resolving disputes.

• Developing measures so that the Strategy development, capital planning, and delivery

processes run smoothly and without surprises to any other Party.

• Coordinating related studies, plans, and projects, and sharing information, inputs, and

• Evaluating and pursuing innovative solutions for clean energy deployment including

infrastructure planning, delivery, operational procedures, policies, financing, and

business models.

• Establishing a framework for and supporting ongoing coordination and implementation

across the Parties.

• Coordinating communications and stakeholder engagement activities.

• Developing shared funding strategies to support and leverage clean energy investments.

Template revised September 22, 2016.

PLANNING PROCESS

The SWCES was developed through an analytical process that considered Port-owned maritime

The SWCES analysis began with a site-by-site baseline analysis of 24 locations, at which, site

operations, equipment, emissions, and fuel and energy uses were evaluated. This baseline

provided a foundation for further investigation of a subset of 11 priority sites with high load

growth potential, four locations expected to have significant, unique “spot loads,” three potential

truck charging locations, and four near-port sites selected by the utility.

Forecasts of power demand were then developed to project peak power requirements through

2050. This forecast built upon the baseline inventories and considered operational projections,

regulatory requirements, adopted port plans, and technology readiness, among other factors.

The forecast was then used to assess constraints in Port’s on-terminal power equipment and

technologies, and provide a holistic approach to investment in port power infrastructure.

KEY FINDINGS

The SWCES provides insights into current and future energy use across Port-owned properties,

as well as the on-terminal and utility-owned power infrastructure serving port facilities. Key

findings from the analysis include:

 Port power needs (peak electricity demand) are expected to increase four-fold by 2050.

As fossil-fueled operations transition to electrification, power demand will increase

Template revised September 22, 2016.

substantially. Estimates of peak power use at key maritime facilities are modeled to more

than quadruple from 53 megawatts in 2019 to over 225 megawatts by 2050.

 Port-adjacent sites are significant contributors to SCL’s load growth. Redevelopment at

electrical capacity planning limits by 2040. In addition, multiple on-terminal Port

substations will face capacity constraints, with eight sites expected to exceed total site

capacity.

 Traditional infrastructure solutions are currently most cost-effective. Traditional

solutions such as improvements to substations, feeders and distribution lines are

currently the more cost-effective than distributed, “non-wires” technologies such as

battery energy storage systems in addressing the most significant power distribution

bottlenecks. Technologies should continue to be reviewed over time and considered for

deployment with cargo handling equipment, truck charging, resiliency needs, and other

similar projects to mitigate intermittent loads and demand charges.

Framework.

(1) Capital Investments

Utility distribution system and site-level upgrades are needed to support electrification of port

facilities and equipment. Approximately $208 to $457 million (2024 dollars) in port and utility

investments have been identified through 2050, including an estimated $69 to $168 million in

utility distribution system infrastructure costs and an estimated $139 to $288 million in port on-

site transformer, switchgear, and substation equipment costs (More detail can be found in the

strategy document in Table 5, page 21).

Template revised September 22, 2016.

Related support for planning and pre-design activities including infrastructure evaluation, site

planning, tenant and contractor engagement, market assessment, securing tenant zero-

emissions deployment commitments, and feasibility analyses will be important to prepare for

initiation of future projects, particularly those involving higher levels of complexity and long lead-

times. Final investment decisions will need to be made after these deeper analyses are complete.

Financing options and sequencing should be developed and evaluated with key partners and

considered alongside other port funding priorities.

(2) Strategic Implementation Actions

Eight Strategic Actions (SA) to complement capital investments are recommended in the SWCES.

 SA2. Asset Condition Assessment: Assess port electrical asset conditions (e.g. age,

equipment functionality, remaining useful life) and vulnerabilities (e.g. flooding and sea

level rise, groundwater intrusion, seismic hazards) to further inform capital

recommendations and prevent system failures. When combined with an evaluation of

critical facilities for power resiliency (below), a more holistic view of electrical

infrastructure needs and opportunities will be available to inform capital investments

while enhancing project outcomes.

Template revised September 22, 2016.

power infrastructure, should provide for the achievement of overall site objectives and

follow an integrated planning effort.

 SA6. Increase Grant Project Readiness: The Port, NWSA, SCL, and industry partners

Template revised September 22, 2016.

NEXT STEPS

With the completion of the Seattle Waterfront Clean Energy Strategy, staff from the Port, NWSA