page_title: Economy of Spokane, Washington
section_title: Energy and technology
hierarchical_section_title: Economy of Spokane, Washington / Prominent industries / Energy and technology
caption_attribution_description: The Central Steam Plant in Spokane, Washington
context_page_description: The economy of the Spokane Metropolitan Area plays a vital role as the hub for the commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center as well as the medical, shopping, and entertainment hub of the 80,000 square miles Inland Northwest region. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Spokane metropolitan area has a workforce of about 287,000 people and an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent as of February 2020; the largest sectors for non–farm employment are education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities, and government. The Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area has a workforce of 80,000 people and an unemployment rate of 6.8% as of June 2020; the largest sectors for non-farm employment are trade, transportation, and utilities, government, and education and health services as well as leisure and hospitality.In 2017, the Spokane–Spokane Valley metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of $25.5 billion while the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area was $5.93 billion.
context_section_description: Although, not a nationally competitive metro area in the technology sector, in the city it has grown at a steady pace. Utilities and technologies related to utilities especially have a role in the local economy. Avista, an investor-owned utility founded in 1889 as the Washington Water Power Company has always been the main power utility for Spokane and much of eastern Washington. It is one of the largest private employers in the city, employing over 1,700 people and its holding company is the only company in Spokane to have had a Fortune 500 listing in the past. The company serves 370,000 electric and about 330,000 natural gas customers across their service territory in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. In addition to being a utility, the company has always tried to branch out into other industries and has had a role in starting a few other notable business in Spokane such as Itron and Engie Impact (founded as a subsidiary called Advantage IQ and formerly Ecova prior to its sale to GDF Suez). Both spin off companies are involved in the clean energy industry which is experiencing a growing trend in the region.
  Itron is a technology company that provides solutions that measure, manage, and analyze energy and water use including standard and IoT smart meters and software and services to electric, gas, and water utilities worldwide. Engie Impact is an energy management company that applies resource data (energy, water, waste, and telecom), technology, and expertise to lower costs, drive efficiencies and reduce the environmental impact of multi-site client companies including Fortune 500 companies. The company employs over 1,500 people in the Spokane area.
caption: Avista acquired and operated the Central Steam Plant until 1986.[106]
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