Puget Sound Energy (PSE) (utility subsidiary of Puget Energy (NYSE:PSD)) today announced that EI Solutions will design and construct for PSE the Pacific Northwest's largest solar-power generating facility alongside the utility's Wild Horse wind farm in central Washington. PSE plans to begin construction of the solar project in June and have most of its power-generating panels in operation before the end of 2007.

EI Solutions, based in San Rafael, Calif., topped a field of 12 finalists to build for PSE a $3.7 million, 500-kilowatt (kw) solar-power generating facility. It not only will be the Northwest's largest solar-powered system, but also will be the first commercial installation to use made-in-Washington solar panels.

?We're building a large-scale demonstration project to give our company, and our state, a better understanding of solar power's viability here in the Northwest,? said Stephen P. Reynolds, chairman, president and CEO for Puget Sound Energy. ?What's more, by helping to launch a home-grown line of solar panels, this project will give Washington residents an added incentive to install their own solar-powered systems.?

As part of PSE's contract with EI Solutions, Washington-based Outback Power Systems will provide 10 percent of the panels for the Wild Horse solar project.

EI Solutions is a leading builder of large-scale solar-power systems. The company is completing the largest solar-power system ever installed at a single corporate campus ? a 1.6-megawatt system atop Google's sprawling headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

?It is a true pleasure for us to be working with Puget Sound Energy, a leading wind-power producer in Washington, to integrate solar power into their portfolio of clean, renewable energy resources,? said Andrew Beebe, president of EI Solutions. ?We applaud PSE's commitment to energy alternatives that can provide tangible environmental benefits in an economically sound manner, and look forward to proving through the Wild Horse project that solar is a viable solution in the state of Washington.?

Under a state law implemented in 2006, Washington households and small businesses can earn direct payments for every kilowatt-hour (kwh) of electricity produced from self-owned solar, wind, or biomass generating systems. The incentive payments from PSE and other participating electric utilities are much larger ? up to 54 cents per kwh, with a $2,000 yearly cap ? if the power-generating systems employ Washington-made components. For information on how to receive solar-incentive payments from PSE's Renewable Energy Advantage Program, see the company's Web site (pse.com) or call 1-800-562-1482.

?We are looking forward to working with PSE, EI Solutions, and Blue Oak Energy,? said Mark Thomas, president and ceo of Outback Power Systems. ?The Wild Horse solar project gives us an excellent opportunity to showcase renewable energy in Washington and demonstrate the viability of solar power right here at home.?

Blue Oak Energy, a specialty solar-engineering firm, has been hired by PSE to review the project's design and ensure that its equipment can withstand harsh winds of up to 120 mph that have been recorded at the site.

The Wild Horse solar project will have more than 2,500 photovoltaic solar panels mounted in two separate locations across five acres. Most of the panels will be located at an old quarry site too high (3,800 feet) for wind turbines due to aviation requirements, but typically above local fog and clouds.

The entire Wild Horse site, roughly 120 miles east of Seattle between Ellensburg and the Columbia River, includes 6,000 acres of PSE-owned land and 3,000 acres of state-owned property. The amount of sunshine in the area is similar to Houston's.

The solar facility, with an ability to serve the power needs of about 300 households, will roughly double Washington state's entire output of solar power. The Pacific Northwest's single largest solar generator today ? a 132-kw system in Klamath Falls, Ore. ? is about one-fourth the size of PSE's planned Wild Horse solar facility.

PSE completed its 127-turbine Wild Horse Wind Facility last December. The utility's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility, built in 2005 near Walla Walla, has 83 turbines. Together, the two wind farms make PSE the largest utility producer of renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest.

About Puget Sound Energy

Washington state's oldest and largest energy utility, with a 6,000-square-mile service territory stretching across 11 counties, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) serves more than 1 million electric customers and 718,000 natural gas customers. PSE, a subsidiary of Puget Energy (NYSE: PSD), meets the energy needs of its growing customer base through incremental, cost-effective energy conservation, low-cost procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. For more information, visit www.pse.com.

About EI Solutions

EI Solutions is one of California's fastest-growing providers of commercial and utility-scale solar power systems. The company has completed projects for a wide variety of public agencies and private companies and is nearing completion of the largest solar installation on a U.S. corporate campus, a 1.6-megawatt system on Google's Mountain View headquarters. EI Solutions' headquarters are in San Rafael, Calif., where all engineering, project management, finance and administrative functions are based. EI Solutions also operates a sales and marketing office in Pasadena, Calif., at the home of its parent company, Energy Innovations. Energy Innovations, an Idealab company, is building the world's first rooftop tracking solar concentrator, designed to drive down the long-term cost of solar energy below the price of utility-supplied electricity. More information can be found at www.eispv.com or by calling 1-800-237-0916.

About Outback Power Systems

OutBack Power Systems, Inc. is a global designer and manufacturer of cutting-edge power conversion solutions that provide reliable electric power for renewable energy, back-up power, mobile, and industrial applications. With decades of power conversion electronics design, as well as equipment installation experience, we share a passion for leading the industry into a new era of performance, ease-of-use, and standardization. OutBack Power Systems is a privately held corporation located in Arlington, Wash., with a European sales office in Barcelona, Spain.

About Blue Oak Energy

Blue Oak Energy Inc. is a focused solar electric design and engineering firm with more than a decade of experience in designing, planning and managing the installation of some of the largest projects in North America. Principals currently hold active Professional Engineering licenses in California, Washington, Nevada, Colorado, New Jersey and Connecticut. The firm's capabilities extend beyond excellence in design and construction management. The firm is capable of providing system inspections, testing and commissioning services to ensure that clients receive a quality product. As financial institutions embrace the solar electric industry, Blue Oak Energy is prepared to perform site studies, liability assessments and final system inspections as the independent engineer of record. The firm also produces the Homerun? Combiner Box, which was developed by a team of experienced engineers and electricians to reduce the cost and simplify the installation of large PV systems. More information on Blue Oak Energy and the Homerun? Combiner Box can be found online at www.blueoakenergy.com or by calling 530-747-2026.