Ricky Junquera, ricky.junquera@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C. – Today, Pepco released a long-term analysis of the Washington D.C. electric system and its role in helping the District meet its climate commitments. The analysis was developed to evaluate the impacts of meeting the District’s climate commitments through an increased deployment of electric vehicles and electrification of the building stock.
Pepco found that with electrification, 100% of light duty vehicles and 95% of the District’s buildings’ heating systems and the additional load growth of Pepco’s system is well below the growth experienced in previous decades. The analysis also showed that this growth in demand can be mitigated by deployment of further energy efficiency and load flexibility measures like time-of-use rates, behind-the-meter storage, smart thermostat integration, and more. Additionally this analysis indicated that the initial shift toward heating electrification will not result in the need for immediate additional capacity investment.
The analysis was filed with the District’s Public Service Commission as a part of the company’s required submissions in the ongoing climate action planning proceeding, FC 1167.
In response, David Smedick, Acting Deputy Regional Campaign Director for the Sierra Club released the following statement:
“Pepco’s analysis demonstrates a strong feasibility of moving off fossil fuels like gas and oil instead of heating our homes and businesses with heat pumps. We must move our transit and vehicles to clean, renewable electricity. The planet has less than 30 years to ditch fossil fuels so that we can see what is achievable in our own backyards. The District’s utilities, Public Service Commission, DC Council, and the Mayor must act equitably and swiftly to enact policies that shift homes and businesses off polluting, dangerous, and unhealthy fossil fuels.
"This electrification transition off fossil gas must focus on delivering benefits to limited income households first and foremost – under no scenario can we further burden residents in affordable housing in D.C. with the remaining costs of the fossil gas system over the next three decades. We need to see this kind of electrification analysis and planning from more electric utilities and utility regulators across the country."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.