The Salt River Project, a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility in Arizona, was awarded Climate Registered™ Platinum Status today for the 2020 reporting year. SRP is the first electric utility in the nation to earn Platinum status for its 2020 reporting year emissions inventory.

The Climate Registry and voluntary greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The Climate Registry is North America’s largest voluntary registry for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The nonprofit organization empowers North American organizations to do more in the fight against climate change by providing services and tools that help them reduce their emissions. The Registry also drives climate action and ambition on the road to net zero by recognizing and showcasing sub-national leadership, and by building strategic partnerships with and between national and international entities. The Registry is advised by a Council of Jurisdictions that includes representatives from diverse U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories.

“By attaining Climate Registered status through managing and reducing emissions, organizations are able to prove they are leaders in a growing movement to address climate change,” said Amy Holm, Executive Director of The Climate Registry. “We are already feeling the effects of climate change, and the solution requires all stakeholders to step up. The Climate Registry is proud to recognize organizations working hard to be part of the solution.

SRP earned Platinum Status recognition by setting and disclosing a public GHG reduction goal and achieving other objectives. SRP’s efforts will allow the utility to track its climate initiatives and GHG reductions credibly over time. This is the most comprehensive voluntary emissions reporting SRP has done with the Registry.

“Achieving Climate Registered Platinum Status is important to SRP and reflects our ongoing, focused commitment to meaningfully reduce our GHG emissions and enhance public reporting transparency within our industry,” said Kelly Barr, SRP’s Chief Sustainability Executive. “We will build on the progress we have made through continued annual reporting to The Climate Registry, while identifying opportunities to incrementally improve our submission with every cycle.”

Sustainability goals; renewable energy.

In 2019, SRP’s publicly elected Board of Directors approved enhanced 2035 Sustainability Goals that include a commitment to reducing carbon intensity by more than 65 percent by 2035 and by 90 percent in 2050 from 2005 levels. Public disclosure of its carbon emissions and inventory verification on an annual basis through The Climate Registry adds an important layer of distinction and transparency to SRP’s efforts toward its reduction targets, and is important to SRP’s customers and other stakeholders.

SRP is also committed to adding 2,025 MW of new utility-scale solar energy to its renewable energy portfolio by 2025 and 450 MW of battery storage by 2023, one of the largest battery storage commitments in the Western U.S.

Water commitments.

SRP’s sustainability goals include aggressive water reduction commitments, improvements to waste reduction and a sustainable supply chain as well as additional programs to help customers reduce energy use.

The Salt River Project is the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving approximately 1.1 million customers. SRP provides water to about half of the Valley’s residents, delivering more than 244 billion gallons of water (750,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, canals and irrigation laterals.

Image Source:  The Salt River Project