Two West Coast utilities — one private- and the other public-sector — are leading the nation in offering green power programs to retail customers, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). Portland General Electric (PGE) in Oregon has more renewable energy customers than any utility in the nation, DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicated in national rankings released Tuesday. At the end of 2010, PGE had nearly 78,000 residential and business customers, or 12.6% of its eligible customers, enrolled in a renewable power program, well ahead of the national average of 2%. Portland, OR-based PGE led the nation in renewable sales in 2010 for the sixth consecutive year. In California the Santa Clara municipal utility, Silicon Valley Power, is in the top 10 nationally with its green power program, drawing more than 100 businesses and nearly 4,000 homes to the program, NREL’s report confirmed. Silicon Valley sold more than 70,000 MWh of green-based power last year.

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