WHEREAS, Washington Water Power was originally incorporated on March 15, 1889, to meet the increasing demand for electricity in the growing city of Spokane Falls, Washington; and
     WHEREAS, In 1890, the company built its first hydroelectric generating facility at Monroe Street, and in 1903 it built the world's longest transmission line, which traveled from Spokane to Burke, Idaho; and
     WHEREAS, The company once boasted the highest spillway in the world with the completion of the Long Lake hydroelectric facility in 1915; and
     WHEREAS, Washington Water Power employees' legacy of innovation began with their development of the first temperature control for the electric stove and the first heating coil for the home water heater; and
     WHEREAS, Washington Water Power began serving natural gas customers with the purchase of the Spokane Natural Gas Company in 1958; and
     WHEREAS, The company built the country's first stand-alone wood waste-fired electric generating facility in Kettle Falls, Washington, in 1983; and
     WHEREAS, Washington Water Power began doing business as Avista Corp. on January 1, 1999; and
     WHEREAS, Avista built upon its legacy of clean, renewable power generation with the purchase of power from the Palouse Wind project beginning in December 2012; and
     WHEREAS, Avista has a diversified mix of generating resources and now owns and operates eight hydroelectric facilities and seven thermal generating facilities with a total generating capacity of more than 1,844 megawatts; and
     WHEREAS, The company owns 21,000 miles of distribution and transmission lines in its 30,000 square-mile service territory; and
     WHEREAS, Avista has been repeatedly honored for its environmental stewardship, receiving five national awards as an "Outstanding Steward of America's Waters," as well as the Association of Washington Businesses 2001 Environmental Excellence Award and special recognition as one of the greenest companies in Washington by Seattle Business magazine in 2012; and
     WHEREAS, Avista and the Avista Foundation contribute more than $1 million per year to nonprofit organizations, and the company has been named in the top 25 in the Puget Sound Business Journal's list of top Washington philanthropists for the past four years; and
     WHEREAS, Avista employees annually perform approximately 50,000 hours of volunteer service to more than 1,000 organizations in their communities; and
     WHEREAS, Avista has provided safe, reliable energy services for 125 years, surviving the Spokane fire of 1889, the ice storm of 1996, Y2K, and the Western energy crisis in 2001;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Washington recognize and honor Avista Corp. and its employees on the company's 125th anniversary of incorporation.