In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed a set of bills setting an ambitious, multi-decade agenda that changes how electric and natural gas utilities acquire resources and provide energy services to Washington businesses and consumers. Among the 11 bills was the passage of Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5116, known as the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which requires Washington's electric utilities to eliminate carbon emissions from their energy resources by 2045.
CETA: A Brief Overview
CETA requires the state's electric utilities to fully transition to clean, renewable and non-emitting resources by 2045. Washington's investor-owned utilities (IOUs) must develop and implement plans. To learn more, click here.
Key Roles for the Utilities and Transportation Commission
The UTC is largely responsible for ensuring IOUs meet CETA requirements. To learn more, click here.
Agencies and Stakeholders
The implementation of this package of energy legislation requires multiple state agencies to coordinate their rules and develop mutually supportive timelines for implementation. Those agencies include the state departments of Commerce, Ecology, Health, and Natural Resources. The UTC also expects stakeholders to provide comments on how to best implement the new laws.
How to Participate
Upcoming events and deadlines:
Feb. 25, 2020
| Workshop
| Workshop for the Purchases of Electricity rulemaking (UE-190837). The commission will hold a workshop to discuss the draft rules and questions posed in the notice of opportunity to comment, which can be found here.
Remote participation: Call 1 (360) 407-3810, Conference ID: 347351
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| Feb. 28, 2020 | Comments due
| Clean Energy Implementation Plan rulemaking (UE-191023): On Jan. 15, the Commission opened its Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) and Compliance with the Clean Energy Transformation Act rulemaking. The notice can be found here. The commission requests public input on the timing and content of the CEIPs, among other topics. The public is invited to comment on the proposals, which can be found here.
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| March 13, 2020 | Comments due | Purchases of Electricity rulemaking (UE-190837). The commission requests public input on how these rules will address resource purchases, CETA requirements (including ensuring that all customers are benefiting from the transition to clean energy), and the use of an independent evaluator. |
Tell us what you think
Voice your opinion on Washington state's transition to 100% clean energy by participating in the proceedings above. To file a comment in UTC rulemakings, click here.
The commission is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to participants with disabilities at its facilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for these workshops or meetings, please contact the commission at least one business day prior to the event by calling 1-360-664-1132 or by sending an email to human_resources@utc.wa.gov. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
For more information on the UTC's implementation of the Clean Energy Transformation Act, visit www.utc.wa.gov/CETA.
Sign up for clean energy email updates here.