Committee considers HB 1329 to clarify short‑term power purchases under Clean Energy Transformation Act

The House Environment & Energy Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1329, a narrowly scoped amendment to the Clean Energy Transformation Act that would change how short‑term, unspecified wholesale power purchases are treated under the state’s coal‑elimination standard.

The bill, introduced by Vice Chair Victoria Hunt (Rep., 5th Legislative District), would increase the contract duration that may be excluded from the definition of a “coal fired resource” from 30 days to 90 days, and allow terms up to six months when necessary to meet utilities’ seasonal resource adequacy requirements. It also clarifies that long‑term contracts with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) would be treated as excluded unless BPA knows at the time of contracting that a portion of the electricity comes from a coal‑fired unit.

Supporters told the committee the changes are technical and intended to make CETA implementable while preserving the law’s coal‑elimination intent. Matt Sterling,…