PRIA Logo™
WashingtonHB 13292025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Concerning wholesale power purchases by electric utilities under the Washington clean energy transformation act.

Sponsored By: Victoria Hunt (Democratic)

Became Law

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Coal cleanup costs go into rates

The commission lets investor‑owned utilities recover prudently incurred coal plant cleanup and decommissioning costs in electric rates. Utilities can also recover undepreciated investments in retired fossil‑fuel plants when retirements meet listed causes or are found in the public interest. The commission must speed up coal plant depreciation so it is done by December 31, 2025. It may also speed up depreciation for unused transmission lines, with full write‑off by December 31, 2025. These amounts are collected through customer bills.

Utilities must drop coal by 2025

By December 31, 2025, every electric utility removes coal power from its electricity mix. Long‑term power from the Bonneville Power Administration is exempt, except parts BPA knew came from coal. Short power buys are allowed without counting as coal: contracts up to 3 months, or seasonal system sales up to 6 months for resource adequacy. These short buys cannot be used to dodge the coal limits. A utility that does not comply pays the administrative penalty set in RCW 19.405.090(1).

More public reporting on utility power buys

The Department of Commerce sets reporting rules so utilities show they follow the law. Starting with the report due July 1, 2026, consumer‑owned utilities must list each unspecified electricity contract longer than 31 days, its duration, purpose, and the months covered. Investor‑owned utilities must send the same required information to the utilities commission. Utilities must make these reports available to their retail customers.

Rules for energy projects and credits

The Department of Ecology sets rules for energy transformation projects, including how to verify and report results. The Department of Commerce sets rules to measure and track thermal renewable energy credits used for compliance. These rules guide how utilities invest and how credits are counted.

Free Policy Watch

You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.

Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.

Pick a topic to get started

My TaxesMy HealthMy BudgetMy MoneyMy Freedom
Or tell us something more specific

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Victoria Hunt

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Alex Ybarra

    Republican • House

  • Beth Doglio

    Democratic • House

  • Davina Duerr

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Callan

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Parshley

    Democratic • House

  • Liz Berry

    Democratic • House

  • Natasha Hill

    Democratic • House

  • Timm Ormsby

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 235 • No: 6

House vote • 4/22/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 95 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/9/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 3/10/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 91 • No: 4 • Other: 3

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/12/2025House

  2. Chapter 221, 2025 Laws.

    5/12/2025House

  3. Governor signed.

    5/12/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/25/2025legislature

  5. President signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    4/23/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 95; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    4/22/2025House

  8. House concurred in Senate amendments.

    4/22/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/9/2025House

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/9/2025House

  11. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    4/9/2025House

  12. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    4/7/2025House

  13. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    3/26/2025House

  14. ENET - Majority; do pass.

    3/25/2025House

  15. First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

    3/12/2025House

  16. Third reading, passed; yeas, 91; nays, 4; absent, 0; excused, 3.

    3/10/2025House

  17. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/10/2025House

  18. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/10/2025House

  19. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    3/9/2025House

  20. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    1/31/2025House

  21. ENVI - Majority; do pass.

    1/28/2025House

  22. ENVI - Executive action taken by committee.

    1/28/2025House

  23. First reading, referred to Environment & Energy.

    1/16/2025House

  24. Introduced

    1/16/2025House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation

Take It Personal

Get Your Personalized Policy View

Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.

Already have an account? Sign in