Efficiency accomplishments win Headwaters award for PSE's Cal Shirley

Cal Shirley, Vice President of Energy Efficiency Services for Washington state-based Puget Sound Energy, recently received the NW Energy Coalition’s 2009 Headwaters award honoring his clean and affordable energy leadership.

With Shirley as head of Energy Efficiency Services, PSE has steadily ramped up its efficiency savings achievements and associated budgets. In 2002-2003, PSE spent about $24 million to achieve 18.8 average megawatts of electricity savings and 2.3 million therms of natural gas savings. For 2010-2011, PSE has proposed spending just over $200 million to acquire 71 aMW and 9 million therms of savings.

Coalition executive director Sara Patton presented Shirley with a plaque picturing the Columbia River’s headwaters at Columbia Lake, British Columbia, along with a vial of water drawn directly from those very waters.

Headwaters awards honor “achievement above and beyond the call of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act by a person who is directly involved in NWEC.” The Coalition Board elects award winners annually at its fall board meeting.