FERNDALE, Wash. -- Puget Sound Energy announced last week it has purchased another natural gas fired power plant in Whatcom County.

The 18-year-old 270 megawatt power plant is located next to the Phillips 66 oil refinery about five miles west of Ferndale.

The plant uses a two-stage process that lowers fuel costs and reduces air emissions.

It was previously owned by Tenaska Washington Partners, L.P.

Puget Sound Energy had been buying the plant's power output from Tenaska through last year.

Puget Sound Energy has been on a mission to buy power resources in order to meet its customers’ long-term electricity needs.

The utility owns three other natural gas-fired power plants in Whatcom County.