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About the Commission

Who We Are

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission provides regulated utility companies with information, services, and resources to help ensure they comply with state and federal laws and regulations. Regulated industries include energy, telecommunications, transportation, and water.

Open our UTC At-a-Glance Info Sheet [PDF] to learn more about us, what we do, how we can help, and how you can get involved.

The view from under an electric tower in Seattle, Washington.

Our Mission

Protect the people of Washington by making sure investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, available, reliable, and fairly priced.

 

Railroad tracks in late spring in Pullman, Washington.

Our Vision

Strive to achieve equitable and fair outcomes as a regulator of utility and transportation services. and prioritize inclusion and belonging in the workplace.

 

Long Lake Dam On The Spokane River.

Our Values

  1. ​​​Respect
  2. Professionalism
  3. Integrity
  4. Accountability

 

Our Regulatory Authority

The commission regulates the rates and services of:

  • investor-owned electric, natural gas, and water utilities
  • telecommunications companies
  • solid waste collection companies
  • household-goods movers
  • passenger transportation companies
  • commercial ferries
  • pipeline companies
  • marine pilotage
  • a low-level radioactive waste repository

Our Decision Making and Oversight

Washington state law requires that utility and transportation rates be reasonable for customers, giving regulated companies a chance to cover legitimate costs and earn a fair profit to stay in business. What outcome is fair to the company and to the people and businesses it serves is what the commission must decide many times over. Cases are heard in a formal legal setting with the commission hearing evidence from all sides before making a decision.

For most of our state's history, private utilities and carriers providing public services have usually been monopolies. If left unregulated, without the restraints of the free-market system, they would have had unchecked power over the state's most essential services.

Our Executive Leaders

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is made up of three members: The Chair and two commissioners. These members are selected by the governor and approved by the state Senate to serve six-year terms.

The three-member panel of commissioners appoints the agency's executive director. Candidates must have leadership and strategic planning experience, and a strong understanding of regulatory industries. The appointed executive director manages daily operations, organizational performance, and serves as the secretary to the commission.

Agency Strategic Plans

The agency's strategic plans work like a roadmap for anticipated results. Strategic planning focuses on management activities and decisions. The development of our strategic plan is an iterative process, driven by the agency's current challenges and future needs. 

UTC 101 Training Series

A two-part virtual public training series was held in July 2022. This series gave the public a better look at what the commission does and how they can get involved

Part A: Open the Agenda [PDF], Vocab Handout [PDF], and Recording

  • A look at the history and authority of the commission.
  • The roles and divisions behind the UTC.
  • Current key issues before the commission.
  • How those issues impact customers.

Part B: Open the Agenda [PDF] and Recording

  • The types of proceedings held by the UTC.
  • How organizations can access Participatory Funding to get involved in those proceedings.
  • Ways the public can get involved in proceedings.