Avista agrees to power one customer with electricity equal to nearly half its service area

Spokane, WASH. — Avista has reached an agreement with an unnamed company to provide that single customer with electricity equal to nearly half of its service area of eastern Washington and North Idaho customers.

The SEC filing from May 29th does not mention the company, and Avista spokesman Jared Webley wouldn’t reveal it either nor the type of business.

Avista supplies an average of roughly 1,100 megawatts (MW) across its territory in eastern Washington and North Idaho. During high usage, Avista says the average peak is closer to 1800-1900 MW.

Questions are being raised if a data center will be coming, since the filing states the customer requests to operate in Avista’s Washington territory and would seek a ‘large load electric service’ starting in 2029. By 2032, they’d expand to 500 MW “subject to further evaluation, regulatory review and the execution of definitive agreements.” It continues, “The next step in the process is the negotiation of an Engineering and Procurement Contract, which is expected to include additional financial assurances. The construction and completion of the proposed large load project will be subject to customary conditions, including federal, state, and local authorizations and permits.”

Avista wrote in a statement, in part:

“We know there’s a lot of interest – and some concern – around large load customers such as data centers. Our priority is always protecting existing customers, while still planning responsibly for growth. If we do enter into a contract with a large load customer, it will be structured so that the large load customer pays for the added costs – things like new power supply, transmission upgrades, and any other infrastructure needed specifically to serve them. Those costs will not be shifted onto existing customers.”