WashingtonSB 63552025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Concerning the electric transmission system.

Sponsored By: Victoria Hunt (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

12 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 6 mixed.

New authority supports Washington power reliability

Beginning June 11, 2026, the law creates the Washington Electric Transmission Authority to maintain or improve reliable electric service. It prioritizes projects that connect utility areas, expand clean-energy access, reach regional markets, or otherwise remain unbuilt by Washington utilities. It also pursues upgrades and alternatives to new power lines. Where practical, it must use existing rights-of-way, reduce wildfire risk, protect natural and cultural resources, and support good jobs. It must also limit harm to overburdened communities and vulnerable people and coordinate with affected utilities.

Washington plans priority power line routes

Commerce must identify priority transmission corridors through an open process by October 30, 2027. It must choose from the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition's February 2026 10-year report. It cannot finalize its choices before reviewing the coalition's 20-year report. Commerce must assess costs and benefits for Washington electricity customers. The authority must update the study openly by October 30, 2032, and at least every five years afterward, using existing studies.

Landowners face limited power corridor takings

The authority can use eminent domain to acquire land or rights-of-way needed for new public transmission corridors. Its board must approve each use. Before seeking a taking, the authority must make reasonable, diligent efforts to reach an agreement with the owner. The law does not set compensation amounts.

Tribes help shape transmission consultation rules

Commerce must contract with the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs to convene affected federally recognized tribes. With Commerce and Ecology coordination, they must develop a recommended statewide transmission consultation framework. It must address agency roles, policy gaps, and early, meaningful, ongoing government-to-government consultation consistent with the 1989 Centennial Accord and law. It must also address transparency, legislative engagement, and recommended legal, administrative, or budget changes. The agencies must report the framework and proposed changes by December 1, 2026.

New board oversees Washington transmission projects

The law requires a 10-member transmission authority board by January 1, 2027, and an executive director by June 30, 2027. Board seats cover state, utility, rural land-use, clean-energy, ratepayer, labor, finance, conservation, and tribal interests. Governor-appointed members need Senate confirmation; at least half the board must live east of the Cascade crest. At least one appointed member must have Bonneville Power Administration transmission expertise. Members cannot represent anyone owning or operating power generation or transmission facilities. The authority must report operating and financial results by December 1, 2027, and annually afterward.

New state accounts fund transmission work

The law creates separate Electric Transmission Operating and Capital Accounts, with spending from both requiring legislative approval through an appropriation. The operating account accepts appropriations, fees, federal money, gifts, and grants for allowed operating costs. The capital account accepts project fees, land-sale proceeds, interest, transfers, appropriations, gifts, grants, and endowments. It pays for project management, property purchases, and other allowed nonoperating costs. The capital account receives treasury investment earnings monthly based on its average daily balance; no funding amount is set. The January 1, 2029, treasury-law version also includes this account; that version expires when RCW 74.76.040 expires.

Transmission workers gain wage and training protections

Beginning June 11, 2026, covered transmission construction and maintenance must follow applicable prevailing-wage rules for each trade. Electric utilities must use qualified electrical employees. Contractors and independent developers must use qualified electrical employees and apprentices in state-registered programs. Those programs must have at least a 25% completion rate over the prior eight years. These standards cover authority-selected builders or operators, partnered financing, and authority construction without a selected qualified builder.

Sensitive power records get disclosure limits

The authority must keep critical energy infrastructure information and proprietary technical or business information confidential. These records are exempt from public inspection and disclosure. Protected infrastructure information includes detailed designs or vulnerabilities that could help someone plan an attack. General location information and already-public information are excluded from that infrastructure definition.

State power projects face ownership limits

The authority must mainly use developer partnerships for projects in eligible priority corridors. Starting a project alone is a last resort and cannot duplicate or interfere with a qualified builder's active project. Before taking any ownership, it must publish the public purpose, exit conditions, a prudent sale plan, and ratepayer costs and benefits. Ownership is limited to the extent and time needed or useful for the public interest. Building without a qualified builder requires a pressing need, no ready and willing qualified builder, and rules adopted first. Projects can be sold at any stage to Washington-serving utilities, qualifying joint operating agencies, Bonneville Power Administration, independent developers, or system operators. Sales outside partnerships require rules for a transparent competitive proposal and buyer-selection process.

Transmission oversight changes affect ratepayer protections

The authority and eligible facilities it acquires are exempt from Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission oversight. A regulated electric company still needs commission approval to include eligible facility costs in its rate base. Service on authority facilities generally must follow a federal transmission tariff administered by a federally regulated entity. Facilities partnered with Bonneville Power Administration, Washington-serving utilities outside federal public-utility regulation, or qualifying joint operating agencies can use partner tariffs instead. The law sets no tariff amounts or household bill changes.

Transmission partners get financing, pay fees

Each entity applying for transmission authority partnership services must pay a $5,000 application review fee. Each public or private partnership must also include a service fee schedule; the law does not set those amounts. The authority must coordinate with the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority to arrange financing for eligible partners that request it. The law sets no financing amount, interest rate, or repayment terms. These are partner fees and financing, not direct household charges or loans.

Transmission projects pay affected local communities

The authority must adopt board-approved rules for initial and annual local fees on high-voltage projects it develops, owns, or sells. Affected counties, cities, towns, and federally recognized tribes share fees based on project impact; fee amounts are not set. The fee obligation transfers with the title when a project is sold. For its property-tax-exempt facilities, the authority must also make annual county payments starting when improvements first become assessable. Those payments are negotiated, capped at the assessor's hypothetical property tax, and subject to binding arbitration if agreement fails. The authority must collect them from the lessee, project partner, or operator. County taxing districts share the payments in proportion to their levy rates.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Victoria Hunt
Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

Claudia Kauffman
Democratic • Senate
Derek Stanford
Democratic • Senate
Jamie Pedersen
Democratic • Senate
Manka Dhingra
Democratic • Senate
Mike Chapman
Democratic • Senate
Rebecca Saldaña
Democratic • Senate
Sharon Shewmake
Democratic • Senate
Steve Conway
Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 128 • No: 63

Senate vote • 3/12/2026

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 32 • No: 17

House vote • 3/11/2026