Senate approves clean-energy clarification to cover port-owned generation under CETA

Summary

Substitute Senate Bill 5,982 clarifies that new electricity generation by ports and other consumer-owned utilities falls under Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA); proponents said it preserves the state's clean-energy goals while opponents warned of costs to ports and economic development.

Senator Hunt presented substitute Senate Bill 5,982, which clarifies that consumer-owned utilities, including port districts, are subject to the Clean Energy Transformation Act when they build new electricity generation to serve large loads such as data centers. "This bill clarifies the law to state that any new electricity generation that we build, whether from ports or otherwise, is covered by the same clean energy standards," Hunt said, linking the change to the state's 2019 CETA requirement that utilities reach 100% clean electricity by 2045.

Senator Behnke opposed the bill on grounds that it could harm ports' competitiveness and economic drivers in the state, claiming CETA already has unresolved issues and that increased regulation would raise costs for ratepayers. Behnke argued the measure goes beyond a technical cleanup and would impose compliance burdens on port districts.

The Senate held a roll-call vote and the secretary reported 30 ayes and 19 nays; having received a constitutional majority, substitute Senate Bill 5,982 was declared passed and will become the title of the act.