Title 80 — Title 80 PUBLIC UTILITIES
23 chapters · 368 sections in this title.
RCW 80.28.005 Definitions.
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Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.(1) "Assignee" means a person, and any subsequent assignee, to which an electrical, gas, or water company assigns, sells, or transfers all or part of the electrical, gas, …
RCW 80.28.010 Duties as to rates, services, and facilities—Limitations on termination of utility service for residential heating and of electric, water, or thermal energy utility service during heat-related alerts.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2575.SL) ***(1) All charges made, demanded or received by any gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company for gas, electricity, water, or thermal energy, or for any service rendered or to be rendered in…
RCW 80.28.020 Commission to fix just, reasonable, and compensatory rates.
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Whenever the commission shall find, after a hearing had upon its own motion, or upon complaint, that the rates or charges demanded, exacted, charged or collected by any gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company, for gas, electri…
RCW 80.28.022 Water company rates—Reserve account.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 1906-S2.SL) ***In determining the rates to be charged by each water company subject to its jurisdiction, the commission may provide for the funding of a reserve account exclusively for the purpose of making capital improvements approved by the departme…
RCW 80.28.024 Legislative finding.
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The legislature finds and declares that the potential for meeting future energy needs through conservation measures, including energy conservation loans, energy audits, the use of appropriate tree plantings for energy conservation, and the use of renewable resources, such as sola…
RCW 80.28.025 Encouragement of energy cogeneration, conservation, and production from renewable resources—Consideration of water conservation goals.
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(1) In establishing rates for each gas and electric company regulated by this chapter, the commission shall adopt policies to encourage meeting or reducing energy demand through cogeneration as defined in *RCW 82.35.020, measures which improve the efficiency of energy end use, an…
RCW 80.28.030 Commission may order improved quality of commodity—Ordering improvements to the storage, distribution, or supply of water—Ordering improvements to the system of sewerage.
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(1) Whenever the commission finds, after such hearing, that the illuminating or heating power, purity or pressure of gas, the efficiency of electric lamp supply, the voltage of the current supplied for light, heat or power, the quality of wastewater company services, the purity, …
RCW 80.28.040 Commission may order improved service—Water companies, system of sewerage noncompliance, receivership.
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(1) Whenever the commission finds, after hearing, that any rules, regulations, measurements or the standard thereof, practices, acts or services of any such gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company are unjust, unreasonable, imp…
RCW 80.28.050 Tariff schedules to be filed with commission—Public schedules.
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Every gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, and thermal energy company shall file with the commission and shall print and keep open to public inspection schedules in such form as the commission may prescribe, showing all rates and charges made, estab…
RCW 80.28.060 Tariff changes—Statutory notice—Exception—Waiver of provisions during state of emergency.
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(1) Unless the commission otherwise orders, no change may be made in any rate or charge or in any form of contract or agreement or in any rule or regulation relating to any rate, charge or service, or in any general privilege or facility which shall have been filed and published …
RCW 80.28.065 Tariff schedule—Energy conservation—Payment by successive property owners—Notice—Rules.
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(1) Upon request by an electrical, gas, or thermal energy company, the commission may approve a tariff schedule that contains rates or charges for energy conservation measures, services, or payments provided to individual property owners or customers. The tariff schedule shall re…
RCW 80.28.068 Rates—Low-income customers.
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(1) Upon its own motion, or upon request by an electrical, gas, or thermal energy company, or other party to a general rate case hearing, or other proceeding to set rates, the commission may approve rates, charges, services, and/or physical facilities at a discount, or through gr…
RCW 80.28.070 Sliding scale of charges permitted.
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Nothing in this chapter shall be taken to prohibit a gas company, electrical company, water company, or thermal energy company from establishing a sliding scale of charges, whereby a greater charge is made per unit for a lesser than a greater quantity for gas, electricity, water,…
RCW 80.28.074 Legislative declaration.
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The legislature declares it is the policy of the state to:(1) Preserve affordable energy services to the residents of the state;(2) Maintain and advance the efficiency and availability of energy services to the residents of the state of Washington;(3) Ensure that customers pay on…
RCW 80.28.075 Banded rates—Natural gas, electric, or thermal energy services.
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Upon request by a natural gas company, an electrical company, or a thermal energy company, the commission may approve a tariff that includes banded rates for any nonresidential natural gas, electric, or thermal energy service that is subject to effective competition from energy s…
RCW 80.28.080 Published rates to be charged—Exceptions.
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(1)(a) Except as provided otherwise in this subsection, no gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company may charge, demand, collect or receive a greater or less or different compensation for any service rendered or to be rendered t…
RCW 80.28.090 Unreasonable preference prohibited.
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No gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company may make or grant any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any person, corporation, or locality, or to any particular description of service in any respect whatsoever, or …
RCW 80.28.100 Rate discrimination prohibited—Exception.
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No gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, water company, or thermal energy company may, directly or indirectly, or by any special rate, rebate, drawback or other device or method, charge, demand, collect or receive from any person or corporation a greater or less co…
RCW 80.28.110 Service to be furnished on reasonable notice.
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(1) Every gas company, electrical company, wastewater company, or water company, engaged in the sale and distribution of gas, electricity, or water, or the provision of wastewater company services, shall, upon reasonable notice, furnish to all persons and corporations who may app…
RCW 80.28.120 Effect on existing contracts.
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Every gas, water, wastewater, electrical, or thermal energy company owning, operating or managing a plant or system for the distribution and sale of gas, water, electricity, or thermal energy, or the provision of wastewater company services to the public for hire is, and is held …
RCW 80.28.130 Repairs, improvements, changes, additions, or extensions may be directed.
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Whenever the commission finds, after hearing had upon its own motion or upon complaint, that repairs or improvements, to, or changes in, any gas plant, electrical plant, system of sewerage, water system, or thermal energy system ought to be made, or that any additions or extensio…
RCW 80.28.140 Inspection of gas and water meters.
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The commission may appoint inspectors of gas and water meters whose duty it shall be when required by the commission to inspect, examine, prove and ascertain the accuracy of any and all gas and water meters used or intended to be used for measuring or ascertaining the quantity of…
RCW 80.28.150 Inspection of electric meters.
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The commission may appoint inspectors of electric meters whose duty it shall be when required by the commission to inspect, examine, prove and ascertain the accuracy of any and all electric meters used or intended to be used for measuring and ascertaining the quantity of electric…
RCW 80.28.160 Testing apparatus to be furnished.
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Every gas company, electrical company, water company, and thermal energy company shall prepare and maintain such suitable premises, apparatus and facilities as may be required and approved by the commission for testing and proving the accuracy of gas, electric, water, or thermal …
RCW 80.28.170 Testing at consumer's request.
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If any consumer to whom a meter has been furnished shall request the commission in writing to inspect such meter, the commission shall have the same inspected and tested, and if the same, on being so tested, shall be found to be more than four percent if an electric meter, more t…
RCW 80.28.180 Rules and regulations.
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The commission shall prescribe such rules and regulations to carry into effect the provisions of RCW 80.28.140 through 80.28.170 as it may deem necessary, and shall fix the uniform and reasonable charges for the inspection and testing of meters upon complaint.[ 1961 c 14 s 80.28.…
RCW 80.28.185 Water companies or wastewater companies within counties—Commission may regulate.
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The commission may develop and enter into an agreement with a county to carry out the regulatory functions of this chapter with regard to water companies or wastewater companies located within the boundary of that county. The duration of the agreement, the duties to be performed,…
RCW 80.28.190 Gas companies—Certificate—Violations—Commission powers—Penalty—Fees.
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(1) No gas company shall, after January 1, 1956, operate in this state any gas plant for hire without first having obtained from the commission under the provisions of this chapter a certificate declaring that public convenience and necessity requires or will require such operati…
RCW 80.28.200 Gas companies—Refunds of charges.
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Whenever any gas company whose rates are subject to the jurisdiction of the commission shall receive any refund of amounts charged and collected from it on account of natural gas purchased by it, by reason of any reduction of rates or disallowance of an increase in rates of the s…
RCW 80.28.220 Gas companies—Right of eminent domain—Purposes.
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Every corporation having for one of its principal purposes the transmission, distribution, sale, or furnishing of natural gas or other type gas for light, heat, or power and holding and owning a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the utilities and transportation…
RCW 80.28.230 Gas companies—Use for purpose acquired exclusive—Disposition of property.
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Any property or interest acquired as provided in RCW 80.28.220 shall be used exclusively for the purposes for which it was acquired: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That if any such property be sold or otherwise disposed of by said corporations, such sale or disposition shall be by public sal…
RCW 80.28.240 Recovery of damages by utility company for tampering, unauthorized connections, diversion of services.
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(1) A utility may bring a civil action for damages against any person who commits, authorizes, solicits, aids, abets, or attempts to:(a) Divert, or cause to be diverted, utility services by any means whatsoever;(b) Make, or cause to be made, any connection or reconnection with pr…
RCW 80.28.250 Water companies—Fire hydrants.
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A city, town or county may, by ordinance or resolution, require a water company to maintain fire hydrants in the area served by the water company. The utilities and transportation commission has no authority to waive this obligation.[ 1986 c 119 s 1.]
RCW 80.28.260 Adoption of policies to provide financial incentives for energy efficiency programs.
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(1) The commission shall adopt a policy allowing an incentive rate of return on investment for programs that improve the efficiency of energy end use if priority is given to senior citizens and low-income citizens in the course of carrying out such programs. The incentive rate of…
RCW 80.28.270 Water or wastewater companies—Extension, installation, or connection charges.
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The commission's jurisdiction over the rates, charges, practices, acts or services of any water company or wastewater company includes any aspect of line extension, service installation, or service connection. If the charges for such services are not set forth by specific amount …
RCW 80.28.275 Water or wastewater companies—Assumption of substandard water system or system of sewerage—Limited immunity from liability.
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A water company or a wastewater company assuming responsibility for a water system or system of sewerage that is not in compliance with state or federal requirements, and its agents and employees, are immune from lawsuits or causes of action, based on noncompliance with state or …
RCW 80.28.280 Compressed natural gas—Motor vehicle refueling stations—Public interest.
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(1) The legislature finds that compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas offers [offer] significant potential to reduce vehicle and vessel emissions and to significantly decrease dependence on petroleum-based fuels. The legislature also finds that well-developed and conven…
RCW 80.28.290 Compressed natural gas—Refueling stations—Identify barriers.
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The commission shall identify barriers to the development of refueling stations for vehicles operating on compressed natural gas, and shall develop policies to remove such barriers. In developing such policies, the commission shall consider providing rate incentives to encourage …
RCW 80.28.300 Gas, electrical companies encouraged to provide customers with landscaping information and to request voluntary donations for urban forestry.
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(1) Gas companies and electrical companies under this chapter are highly encouraged to provide information to their customers regarding landscaping that includes tree planting for energy conservation.(2)(a) Gas companies and electrical companies under this chapter may request vol…
RCW 80.28.303 Conservation service tariff—Contents of filing—Rate base—Duties of commission.
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(1) An electrical, gas, or water company may file a conservation service tariff with the commission. The tariff shall provide:(a) The terms and conditions upon which the company will offer the conservation measures and services specified in the tariff;(b) The period of time durin…
RCW 80.28.306 Rate recovery bonds—Rate recovery assets as collateral—Priority of security interests—Transfers.
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(1) Electrical, gas, and water companies, or finance subsidiaries, may, upon approval by the commission, finance or refinance bondable rate recovery expenditures as described in RCW 80.28.303. Bonds, notes, certificates of beneficial interests in a trust, and other evidences of i…
RCW 80.28.309 Costs as bondable rate recovery expenditures.
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(1) Costs incurred before May 17, 2025, by electrical, gas, or water companies with respect to events described in RCW 80.28.005(3)(a) or energy or water conservation measures and services described in RCW 80.28.005(3)(b) shall constitute bondable rate recovery expenditures for p…
RCW 80.28.310 Tariff for irrigation pumping service—Authority for electrical companies to buy back electricity.
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Upon request by an electrical company, the commission may approve a tariff for irrigation pumping service that allows the company to buy back electricity from customers to reduce electricity usage by those customers during the electrical company's particular irrigation season.[ 2…
RCW 80.28.320 Regulation of battery charging facilities.
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The commission shall not regulate the rates, services, facilities, and practices of an entity that offers battery charging facilities to the public for hire; if: (1) That entity is not otherwise subject to commission jurisdiction as an electrical company; or (2) that entity is ot…
RCW 80.28.330 Certificate of public convenience and necessity—Bond or equivalent surety—Rule-making authority.
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(1) A wastewater company may not own or develop a system of sewerage for the purpose of providing service for compensation without first having obtained from the commission a certificate declaring that the public convenience and necessity requires such service.(2) Issuance of the…
RCW 80.28.340 Determination that a wastewater company is unfit to provide wastewater service on a system of sewerage—Commission may order transfer—Power of eminent domain.
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(1) If the commission determines, after providing notice and opportunity for a hearing in the manner required for complaints under RCW 80.04.110, that a wastewater company is unfit to provide wastewater service on any system of sewerage, under its ownership, the commission may or…
RCW 80.28.350 Petition to place a wastewater company in receivership—Power of eminent domain.
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(1) The commission may petition the Thurston county superior court pursuant to chapter 7.60 RCW to place a wastewater company in receivership. The petition must include the names of one or more qualified candidates for receiver who have consented to assume operation of the system…
RCW 80.28.360 Electric vehicle supply equipment—Capital expenditures—Incentive rate of return on investment.
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(1) In establishing rates for each electrical company regulated under this title, the commission may allow an incentive rate of return on investment through December 31, 2030, on capital expenditures for electric vehicle supply equipment that is deployed for the benefit of ratepa…
RCW 80.28.365 Electric vehicle supply equipment, programs, or services—Electrification of transportation plan—Review—Issuance of acknowledgment.
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(1) An electric utility regulated by the utilities and transportation commission under this chapter may submit to the commission an electrification of transportation plan that deploys electric vehicle supply equipment or provides other electric transportation programs, services, …
RCW 80.28.370 Community solar companies—Definitions.
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The definitions in this section apply throughout this section and RCW 80.28.375 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Community solar company" means a person, firm, or corporation, other than an electric utility or a community solar cooperative, that owns a community…