Conditions will be a little brighter – and more energy efficient – at The Summit at Snoqualmie this year. Through a partnership with Puget Sound Energy, the ski resort is making upgrades that will improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.

Since the 1960s, The Summit at Snoqualmie has provided skiing and outdoor recreation opportunities. During the offseason last summer, PSE and service partner Wildan began working with the resort on a series of lighting improvements through the utility’s business energy efficiency programs. The effort included upgrading the lighting in all of the buildings at Alpental, Summit Central, Summit East and Summit West.

The nearly 2,000 new LED light bulbs and energy-efficient fixtures in the buildings and streetlights on each site will save an estimated $40,000 in electricity costs and more than 405,000 kWh – enough to power more than 25 homes for a year.

“Lighting can amount to more than 40 percent of a business’ energy usage,” said Tianna Byrtus, Energy Efficiency Services Program Manager for PSE. “We created our Business Energy Efficiency Programs to help give our business customers an affordable way to make energy-efficient upgrades and reduce their energy usage. Programs like this don’t just help manage customers’ costs but also contributes to creating a more sustainable world.”

PSE and Wildan also completed similar energy-efficiency upgrade projects at the Summit Inn. PSE and its contractors are working with The Summit to install LED lighting along Silver Fir region of Central Summit. The Summit is planning to open Silver Fir for night skiing during the 2018-19 ski season.

To learn more about PSE’s energy-efficiency programs for businesses, visit pse.com/mybusiness.