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Commitments and Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and ContingenciesFor the year ended December 31, 2022, approximately 16.4% of the Company’s energy output was obtained at an average cost of approximately $0.034 per Kilowatt Hour (kWh) through long-term contracts with three of the Washington Public Utility Districts (PUDs) that own hydroelectric projects on the Columbia River.  The purchase of power from the Columbia River projects is on a pro rata share basis under which the Company pays a proportionate share of the annual debt service, operating and maintenance costs and other expenses associated with each project, in proportion to the contractual share of power that PSE obtains from that project.  In these instances, PSE’s payments are not contingent upon the projects being operable; therefore, PSE is required to make the payments even if power is not delivered.  These projects are financed substantially through debt service payments and their annual costs should not vary significantly over the term of the contracts unless additional financing is required to meet the costs of major maintenance, repairs or replacements, or license requirements.  The Company’s share of the costs and the output of the projects is subject to reduction due to various withdrawal rights of the PUDs and others over the contract lives.
The Company's expenses under these PUD contracts were as follows for the years ended December 31:
(Dollars in Thousands)202220212020
PUD contract costs$149,575 $117,812 $116,874 

As of December 31, 2022, the Company purchased portions of the power output of the PUDs' projects as set forth in the following table:
Company's Share of
(Dollars in Thousands)Contract
Expiration		2023 Percent of Output2023 Megawatt CapacityEstimated 2023 Total Costs2023 Debt Service CostsInterest included in 2023 Debt Service CostsDebt Outstanding
Chelan County PUD1:
Rock Island Project203130.0 %187$47,892 $12,072 $5,132 $93,493 
Rocky Reach Project203130.0 39054,022 5,039 1,907 33,757 
Douglas County PUD2:
Wells Project202832.8 27645,489 — — — 
Grant County PUD3:
Priest Rapids Development20524.8 4528,243 747 376 9,768 
Wanapum Development20524.8 5828,243 747 376 9,768 
Total956$203,889 $18,605 $7,791 $146,786 
_______________
1.In March 2021, PSE entered into a new PPA with Chelan County PUD for additional Rocky Reach and Rock Island output. The contract began on January 1, 2022, and continues through December 31, 2026. This agreement increases PSE’s share of output by 5% for each project, which equates to an additional capacity of 31MW for Rock Island and 65MW for Rocky Reach.
2.In March 2021, PSE entered into a new agreement with Douglas County PUD for the extension of the Wells Project Output that began on October 1, 2021, and continues through September 30, 2024. This agreement increases PSE's share of output by 5.5% for the Wells Project, which equates to an additional capacity of 46MW.
3.In November 2022, PSE elected to take its portion of the Priest Rapid Meaningful Priority and was granted 4.13% share of the 2023 Priest Rapids Project output. This one-year contract begins on January 1, 2023, and continues through December 31, 2023. This agreement increases PSE's share of output by 4.13%, which equates to an additional capacity of 39MW for Priest Rapids Development and 51 MW for Wanapum Development.

The following table summarizes the Company’s estimated payment obligations for power purchases from the Columbia River projects, electric portfolio contracts and electric wholesale market transactions.  These contracts have varying terms and may include escalation and termination provisions.
(Dollars in Thousands)20232024202520262027ThereafterTotal
Columbia River projects$191,618 $145,078 $140,887 $138,482 $123,152 $394,875 $1,134,092 
Electric portfolio contracts380,559 385,807 345,257 142,273 133,903 1,776,703 3,164,502 
Electric wholesale market transactions414,278 148,628 11,616 11,616 — — 586,138 
Total$986,455 $679,513 $497,760 $292,371 $257,055 $2,171,578 $4,884,732 

Total purchased power contracts provided the Company with approximately 15.3 million, 13.1 million and 13.2 million MWhs of firm energy at a cost of approximately $892.7 million, $631.4 million and $491.7 million for the years 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively.
Natural Gas Supply Obligations
The Company has entered into various firm supply, transportation and storage service contracts in order to ensure adequate availability of natural gas supply for its customers and generation requirements.  The Company contracts for its long-term natural gas supply on a firm basis, which means the Company has a 100% daily take obligation and the supplier has a 100% daily delivery obligation to ensure service to PSE’s customers and generation requirements. The transportation and storage contracts, which have remaining terms from 1 year to 22 years, provide that the Company must pay a fixed demand charge each month, regardless of actual usage.
The Company incurred demand charges of $138.3 million, $136.4 million, and $135.8 million for firm transportation, storage and peaking services for its natural gas customers for the years 2022, 2021, and 2020. The Company incurred demand charges of $53.9 million, $52.8 million, and $51.2 million for firm transportation, storage and peaking services for the natural gas supply for its combustion turbines for the years 2022, 2021, and 2020.
The following table summarizes the Company’s obligations for future natural gas supply and demand charges through the primary terms of its existing contracts.  The quantified obligations are based on the FERC and CER (Canadian Energy Regulator) currently authorized rates, which are subject to change.
Natural Gas Supply and Demand Charge Obligations
(Dollars in Thousands)		20232024202520262027ThereafterTotal
Natural gas wholesale market transactions$1,013,547 $377,588 $351,129 $255,577 $76,453 $— $2,074,294 
Firm transportation service175,136 146,675 112,327 94,417 94,123 570,687 1,193,365 
Firm storage service9,350 7,923 7,448 7,432 7,352 1,838 41,343 
Total$1,198,033 $532,186 $470,904 $357,426 $177,928 $572,525 $3,309,002 

Service Contracts
The following table summarizes the Company’s estimated obligations for service contracts through the terms of its existing contracts.
Service Contract Obligations
(Dollars in Thousands)		20232024202520262027ThereafterTotal
Energy production service contracts$33,971 $34,812 $35,772 $18,728 $19,221 $79,655 $222,159 
Automated meter reading system50,124 47,301 47,668 48,803 — — 193,896 
Total$84,095 $82,113 $83,440 $67,531 $19,221 $79,655 $416,055 

Chelan PUD Power Purchase Agreement
On February 7, 2023, PSE and Chelan PUD entered into a new power purchase agreement, under which PSE will continue to purchase 25% of the total output from the Rocky Reach and Rock Island hydroelectric projects from November 1, 2031 through October 31, 2051. Estimated payment obligations under the new power sales agreement total $3.1 billion.

Other Commitments and Contingencies
For information regarding PSE's environmental remediation obligations, see Note 4, "Regulation and Rates," to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.