Title 54 — Title 54 PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICTS
13 chapters · 167 sections in this title.
RCW 54.04.010 Definitions.
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As used in this title "revenue obligation" or "revenue obligations" mean and include bonds, notes, warrants, certificates of indebtedness, or any other evidences of indebtedness issued by a district which, by the terms thereof, shall be payable from the revenues of its public uti…
RCW 54.04.020 Districts authorized.
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Municipal corporations, to be known as public utility districts, are hereby authorized for the purposes of chapter 1, Laws of 1931 and may be established within the limits of the state of Washington, as provided herein.[ 1931 c 1 s 2; RRS s 11606.]Notes:Purpose—1931 c 1: "The pur…
RCW 54.04.030 Restrictions on invading other municipalities.
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Chapter 1, Laws of 1931, shall not be deemed or construed to repeal or affect any existing act, or any part thereof, relating to the construction, operation and maintenance of public utilities by irrigation or water-sewer districts or other municipal corporations, but shall be su…
RCW 54.04.035 Annexation of territory.
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In addition to other powers authorized in Title 54 RCW, public utility districts may annex territory as provided in this section.The boundaries of a public utility district may be enlarged and new contiguous territory added pursuant to the procedures for annexation by cities and …
RCW 54.04.037 Annexation of territory—Coordination among county officials.
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When territory has been added to a public utility district in accordance with RCW 54.04.035, the supervisor of elections and other officers of the county in which the public utility district first operated shall coordinate elections, the levy and collection of taxes, and other ne…
RCW 54.04.039 County with federal nuclear reservation within its boundaries—Special procedure for addition or withdrawal of territory from public utility district.
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(1) Any voting precinct located within a county that has a federal nuclear reservation within its boundaries is:(a) Withdrawn from a public utility district if the precinct receives at least one electric distribution, water, or sewer service from a city, and no electric distribut…
RCW 54.04.040 Utilities within a city or town—Restrictions.
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A district shall not construct any property to be utilized by it in the operation of a plant or system for the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale, on the streets, alleys, or public places within a city or town without the consent of the governin…
RCW 54.04.045 Locally regulated utilities—Attachments to poles—Rates—Contracting.
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(1) As used in this section:(a) "Attachment" means the affixation or installation of any wire, cable, or other physical material capable of carrying electronic impulses or light waves for the carrying of intelligence for telecommunications or television, including, but not limite…
RCW 54.04.050 Group employee insurance—Deferred compensation plans—Supplemental savings plans.
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(1) Subject to chapter 48.62 RCW, any public utility district engaged in the operation of electric or water utilities may enter into contracts of group insurance for the benefit of its employees, and pay all or any part of the premiums for such insurance. Such premiums shall be p…
RCW 54.04.055 Employee benefits—District may continue to pay premiums after employee retires.
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Any public utility district which provides for the coverage of any of its employees under any plan for individual annuity contracts, retirement income policies, group annuity contracts, group insurance for the benefit of its employees, or any other contract for the benefit of its…
RCW 54.04.060 District elections.
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The supervisor of elections or other proper officer of the county shall give notice of all elections held under this title, for the time and in the manner and form provided for city, town, school district, and port district elections. When the supervisor or other officer deems an…
RCW 54.04.070 Contracts for work or materials—Notice—Exemptions—Unit priced contracts.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6076-S.SL) ***(1) Any item, or items of the same kind of materials, equipment, or supplies purchased, the estimated cost of which is in excess of $30,000, exclusive of sales tax, shall be by contract. However, a district may make purchases of the same …
RCW 54.04.080 Bids—Deposit—Low bidder claiming error—Contract—Bond—Definitions.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6076-S.SL) ***Any notice inviting sealed bids shall state generally the work to be done, or the material to be purchased and shall call for proposals for furnishing it, to be sealed and filed with the commission on or before the time named therein. Eac…
RCW 54.04.082 Alternative bid procedure.
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For the awarding of a contract to purchase any item, or items of the same kind of materials, equipment, or supplies in an amount exceeding thirty thousand dollars per calendar month, but less than one hundred twenty thousand dollars per calendar month, exclusive of sales tax, the…
RCW 54.04.085 Electrical facility construction or improvement—Bid proposals—Contract proposal forms—Conditions for issuance—Appeals.
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A district shall require that bid proposals upon any construction or improvement of any electrical facility shall be made upon contract proposal form supplied by the district commission, and in no other manner. The district commission shall, before furnishing any person, firm or …
RCW 54.04.090 Minimum wages.
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Each contractor and subcontractor performing work for a public utility district or a local utility district within a public utility district shall pay or cause to be paid to its employees on the work or under the contract or subcontract, not less than the minimum scale fixed by t…
RCW 54.04.092 Application of RCW 54.04.070 through 54.04.090 to certain service provider agreements under chapter 70A.140 RCW.
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RCW 54.04.070 through 54.04.090 shall not apply to agreements entered into under authority of chapter 70A.140 RCW provided there is compliance with the procurement procedure under RCW 70A.140.040.[ 2021 c 65 s 60; 1986 c 244 s 14.]Notes:Explanatory statement—2021 c 65: See note f…
RCW 54.04.100 Wholesale power—Procedure as to rate filing—Definition—Duty to furnish to district.
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Whenever a decree of public use and necessity heretofore has been or hereafter shall be entered in condemnation proceedings conducted by a public utility district for the acquisition of electrical distribution properties, or whenever it has executed a contract for the purchase of…
RCW 54.04.120 Planning powers.
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In order that the commissioners of a public utility district may be better able to plan for the marketing of power and for the development of resources pertaining thereto, they shall have the same powers as are vested in a board of county commissioners as provided in *chapter 44,…
RCW 54.04.130 Employee benefit plans when private utility acquired—Rights, powers and duties as to existing private employee benefit plans.
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Whenever any municipal corporation acquires by condemnation or otherwise any utility which at the time of acquisition is in private ownership and the employees of such private utility have been for at least two years and are at the time of acquisition covered by any plan for indi…
RCW 54.04.140 Employee benefit plans when private utility acquired—Admission to district's employee plan—Service credit—Contributions—Benefits.
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Any person affected by RCW 54.04.130 who was employed by the private utility at the time of acquisition may, at his or her option, apply to the district and/or appropriate officers, for admission to any plan available to other employees of the district. Every such person who was …
RCW 54.04.150 Employee benefit plans when private utility acquired—Agreements and contracts—Prior rights preserved.
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The municipal corporation may enter into any agreements and contracts necessary to carry out the powers and duties prescribed by RCW 54.04.130 and 54.04.140, but nothing in RCW 54.04.130 through 54.04.160 shall be so construed as requiring without consent the modification of the …
RCW 54.04.160 Assumption of obligations of private pension plan when urban transportation system acquired.
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Any municipal corporation which has heretofore or shall hereafter acquire from a private owner any urban transportation system which at the time of such acquisition has or had in effect any pension or retirement system for its employees, shall assume all such obligations with res…
RCW 54.04.170 Collective bargaining authorized for employees.
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Employees of public utility districts are hereby authorized and entitled to enter into collective bargaining relations with their employers with all the rights and privileges incident thereto as are accorded to similar employees in private industry.[ 1963 c 28 s 1.]
RCW 54.04.180 Collective bargaining authorized for districts.
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Any public utility district may enter into collective bargaining relations with its employees in the same manner that a private employer might do and may agree to be bound by the result of such collective bargaining.[ 1963 c 28 s 2.]
RCW 54.04.190 Production and distribution of biodiesel, ethanol, and ethanol blend fuels—Crop purchase contracts for dedicated energy crops—Production and utilization of renewable natural gas and renewable hydrogen—Sale of renewable natural gas, green electrolytic hydrogen, renewable hydrogen, and biogenic carbon dioxide.
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(1) In addition to any other authority provided by law, public utility districts are authorized to produce and distribute biodiesel, ethanol, and ethanol blend fuels, including entering into crop purchase contracts for a dedicated energy crop for the purpose of generating electri…
RCW 54.04.200 Public utility district as captive owner.
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A public utility district may be a captive owner as defined in RCW 48.201.020.[ 2025 c 53 s 4.]