Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 12 D cosponsors

SB 6171 — Addressing emerging large energy use facilities.

Last action — Referred to Ways & Means.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 15, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (12 D).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

564 added · 593 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of Senate Bill 6171 has added a more detailed focus on "emerging large energy use facilities," specifically identifying data centers and cryptocurrency facilities, while also allowing for future industries with similar needs. This change emphasizes the importance of balancing energy affordability, grid reliability, and environmental protection as these facilities grow. By including these priorities, the bill aims to ensure that the technology industry's energy demands do not negatively impact consumers or the environment, which will help maintain public trust and sustainability in Washington's energy landscape.

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S-4547.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6171 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senate Environment, Energy & Technology (originally sponsored by Senators Shewmake, Slatter, Alvarado, Bateman, Cleveland, Frame, Hunt, Lovelett, Nobles, Pedersen, Saldaña, and Stanford) READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
S-3957.1 SENATE BILL 6171 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senators Shewmake, Slatter, Alvarado, Bateman, Cleveland, Frame, Hunt, Lovelett, Nobles, Pedersen, Saldaña, and Stanford Read first time 01/15/26.
Referred to Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology.
1 SSB 6171 about data center resource use and environmental impacts is difficult if not impossible for the public to access.
1 SB 6171 about data center resource use and environmental impacts is difficult if not impossible for the public to access.
The legislature intends to enact policies governing these emerging large energy use facilities.
The legislature intends to enact policies governing these emerging large energy use facilities, currently defined as data centers and cryptocurrency facilities, while recognizing that other such industries may emerge in the future with their facilities requiring similar policies.
For these emerging large energy use facilities, the legislature's policy priorities are affordability, grid reliability, transparency, and environmental protection.
For emerging large energy use facilities, the legislature's policy priorities are affordability, grid reliability, transparency, and environmental protection.
(5) "Consumer-owned utility" means a municipal electric utility formed under Title 35 RCW, a public utility district formed under Title 54 RCW, an irrigation district formed under chapter 87.03 RCW, a cooperative formed under chapter 23.86 RCW, ((or)) a mutual corporation or association formed under chapter 24.06 RCW, or a port district formed under Title 53 RCW, that is engaged in the business p.
(5) "Consumer-owned utility" means a municipal electric utility formed under Title 35 RCW, a public utility district formed under Title 54 RCW, an irrigation district formed under chapter 87.03 RCW, a cooperative formed under chapter 23.86 RCW, ((or)) a mutual p.
2 SSB 6171 of distributing electricity to ((more than)) at least one retail electric customer in the state.
2 SB 6171 corporation or association formed under chapter 24.06 RCW, or a port district formed under Title 53 RCW, that is engaged in the business of distributing electricity to ((more than)) at least one retail electric customer in the state.
(15) "Emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy" means the rates, terms, and conditions set by an electric utility for providing electricity service to an emerging large energy use facility electric customer.
(15) "Emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract" means the terms set by an electric utility for providing electricity service to an emerging large energy use facility electric customer, p.
p.
3 SB 6171 and includes electric rates to be charged to the customer for electricity service.
3 SSB 6171 (16) "Energy emergency" means a situation in which the unavailability or disruption of the supply of energy poses a clear and foreseeable danger to the public health, safety, and general welfare as determined by relevant local, state, regional, or federal entities.
(16) "Facility" means any physical property, plant, building, structure, source, or stationary equipment located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties in actual physical contact or separated solely by a public roadway or other public right-of-way and under common ownership or common control.
(17) "Facility" means any physical property, plant, building, structure, source, or stationary equipment located on one or more contiguous or adjacent properties in actual physical contact or separated solely by a public roadway or other public right-of-way and under common ownership or common control.
(17) "Fuel attribute" means the characteristic of electricity determined by the fuel used in the generation of that electricity.
(18) "Fuel attribute" means the characteristic of electricity determined by the fuel used in the generation of that electricity.
(((14))) (19) "Fuel mix" means the sources of electricity sold to retail electric customers, expressed in terms of percentage contribution by resource category.
(((14))) (18) "Fuel mix" means the sources of electricity sold to retail electric customers, expressed in terms of percentage contribution by resource category.
(((15))) (20) "Governing body" means the council of a city or town, the commissioners of an irrigation district, municipal electric utility, or public utility district, or the board of directors of an electric cooperative or mutual association that has the authority to set and approve rates.
(((15))) (19) "Governing body" means the council of a city or town, the commissioners of an irrigation district, municipal electric utility, or public utility district, or the board of directors of an electric cooperative or mutual association that has the authority to set and approve rates.
(((16))) (21) "Investor-owned utility" means a company owned by investors that meets the definition of RCW 80.04.010 and is engaged in distributing electricity to one or more retail electric customers in the state.
(((16))) (20) "Investor-owned utility" means a company owned by investors that meets the definition of RCW 80.04.010 and is engaged in distributing electricity to one or more retail electric customers in the state.
(((17))) (22) "Marginal load" means at least two percent of an emerging large energy use facility's maximum aggregate contract demand amount.
(((17))) (21) "Marginal load" means at least two percent of an emerging large energy use facility's maximum contract demand amount.
(23) "Nonpower attributes" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.285.030.
(22) "Nonpower attributes" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.285.030.
(((18))) (24) "Private customer information" includes a retail electric customer's name, address, telephone number, and other personally identifying information.
(((18))) (23) "Private customer information" includes a retail electric customer's name, address, telephone number, and other personally identifying information.
(((19))) (25) "Proprietary customer information" means:
(((19))) (24) "Proprietary customer information" means:
(a) Information that relates to the source, technical configuration, destination, and amount of electricity used by a retail electric customer, a retail electric customer's payment history, and household data that is made available by the customer solely by virtue of the p.
(a) Information that relates to the source, technical configuration, destination, and amount of electricity used by a retail electric customer, a retail electric customer's payment history, and household data that is made available by the customer solely by virtue of the utility-customer relationship;
4 SSB 6171 utility-customer relationship;
(((20))) (26) "Renewable energy certificate" means a tradable certificate of proof of one megawatt-hour of electricity from a renewable resource.
(((20))) (25) "Renewable energy certificate" means a tradable certificate of proof of one megawatt-hour of electricity from a p.
4 SB 6171 renewable resource.
(((21))) (27) "Renewable resource" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.285.030.
(((21))) (26) "Renewable resource" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 19.285.030.
(((22))) (28) "Resale" means the purchase and subsequent sale of electricity for profit, but does not include the purchase and the subsequent sale of electricity at the same rate at which the electricity was purchased.
(((22))) (27) "Resale" means the purchase and subsequent sale of electricity for profit, but does not include the purchase and the subsequent sale of electricity at the same rate at which the electricity was purchased.
(((23))) (29) "Retail electric customer" means a person or entity that purchases electricity for ultimate consumption and not for resale.
(((23))) (28) "Retail electric customer" means a person or entity that purchases electricity for ultimate consumption and not for resale.
(((24))) (30) "Retail supplier" means an electric utility that offers an electricity product for sale to retail electric customers in the state.
(((24))) (29) "Retail supplier" means an electric utility that offers an electricity product for sale to retail electric customers in the state.
(((25))) (31) "Small utility" means any consumer-owned utility with twenty-five thousand or fewer electric meters in service, or that has an average of seven or fewer customers per mile of distribution line.
(((25))) (30) "Small utility" means any consumer-owned utility with twenty-five thousand or fewer electric meters in service, or that has an average of seven or fewer customers per mile of distribution line.
(((26))) (32) "Source and disposition report" means the report required in RCW 19.29A.140.
(((26))) (31) "Source and disposition report" means the report required in RCW 19.29A.140.
(((27))) (33) "State" means the state of Washington.
(((27))) (32) "State" means the state of Washington.
(((28))) (34) "Unspecified source" means an electricity source for which the fuel attribute is unknown or has been separated from the energy.
(((28))) (33) "Unspecified source" means an electricity source for which the fuel attribute is unknown or has been separated from the energy.
(1)(a) By October 1, 2026, each investor-owned utility with an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory must submit to the commission and make publicly available an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy for emerging large energy use facilities in the utility's service area.
(1)(a) By October 1, 2026, each investor-owned utility with an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory must submit to the commission and make publicly available an emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract for large energy use facilities in the utility's service area.
(b) Within 10 months of submission by an investor-owned utility, the commission, under the authority granted by RCW 80.04.130(1), must p.
(b) Within 10 months of submission by an investor-owned utility, the commission, under the authority granted by RCW 80.04.130(1), must review an emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the tariff or contract.
5 SSB 6171 review an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the tariff or policy.
The commission may approve a large load energy facility p.
The commission may approve an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy only if it meets the standards outlined in subsections (4) and (5) of this section.
5 SB 6171 tariff or contract only if it meets the standards outlined in subsection (4) of this section.
(2)(a) By October 1, 2026, each consumer-owned utility with an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory must submit an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy to its governing board for review and approval.
(2)(a) By October 1, 2026, each consumer-owned utility with an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory must submit an emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract to its governing board for review and approval.
(b) Within 10 months of submission, the governing body of a consumer-owned utility must approve an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy that meets the standards outlined in subsections (4) and (5) of this section.
(b) Within 10 months of submission, the governing body of a consumer-owned utility must approve an emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract that meets the standards outlined in subsection (4) of this section.
(c) The governing body of a consumer-owned utility may approve an existing tariff or policy that meets the standards outlined in subsections (4) and (5) of this section.
(c) A consumer-owned utility's tariff or contract must limit the offer of electricity service to an emerging large energy use facility if offering such service would adversely affect the reliability or affordability of electricity service to other ratepayers in the utility's service area.
(d) A consumer-owned utility may refuse to provide electric service to an emerging large energy use facility if the utility determines that providing such service would adversely affect the reliability or affordability of electric service to other ratepayers in its service area, violate the reliability standards established by the North American electric reliability corporation or the western electricity coordinating council, or if the utility has another reason in accordance with state or federal law and consistent with the utility's authority and obligations.
(3) An electric utility without an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory is not required to develop an emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract until the utility plans to serve a new emerging large energy use facility.
(3)(a) An electric utility without an emerging large energy use facility in its service territory is not required to develop an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy until the utility plans to serve a new emerging large energy use facility.
(4) All electric utility emerging large energy use tariff or contract submissions must be designed to avoid immediate and long- term risks to electric customers including, but not limited to, shifts of costs from large energy use facilities to other electric customers, and stranded utility assets.
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(b) An electric utility must have adopted an emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy prior to providing electricity service to a new emerging large energy use facility.
Specifically, the tariffs or contracts must require emerging large energy use facilities to:
(4) All electric utility emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy submissions must be designed to avoid immediate and long-term risks to electric customers including, but not limited to, shifts of costs from emerging large energy use facilities to other electric customers, stranded utility assets, and any other increased costs for customers resulting from serving an emerging large energy use facility.
(a) Provide at least 10-year contractual service commitments by the facility to the electric utility, which may include, but are not limited to:
(i) Collateral requirements, such as, if the facility does not have a credit rating of at least A- from S&P Global Inc.
and A3 from Moody's Corporation, in addition to cash and cash equivalents on an audited balance sheet prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles greater than 10 times the collateral requirement, the facility must provide a guarantee or collateral at the time of signing a tariff or contract equal to 50 percent of the total minimum charges for the full term of the contract;
(ii) Annual charges of 85 percent of projected electricity demand whether or not the facility uses its full projected demand to pay for infrastructure upgrades needed to serve the facility;
6 SSB 6171 (5) In developing the tariffs or policies, electric utilities must include each of the elements outlined in this subsection, except if a utility can explain that an element does not further the purposes described in subsection (4) of this section.
6 SB 6171 (iii) Exit fees equal to five years of the facility's minimum bill requirement in the event of a permanent closure;
A utility must explain a decision to exclude an element in part or in whole, in writing to the commission in the case of an investor-owned utility, or to its governing body in the case of a consumer-owned utility:
and (iv) Other provisions to hold the electric utility and other ratepayers harmless if the facility were to substantially change its operations;
(a) A minimum contract length of 10 years with contractual commitments that include:
(b) Pay the electric utility for the full costs of serving the facility, including:
(i) Collateral requirements;
(i) The direct costs for the utility to interconnect the facility to the utility's grid, which may include the costs for the utility to study what would be needed for interconnection;
(ii) Charges designed to, at a minimum, recover infrastructure costs incurred to serve the facility, regardless of the facility's actual usage;
and (ii) The costs of providing electricity service to the facility including, as applicable, energy generation, transmission, distribution, and capacity and ancillary electricity services;
(iii) Exit fees sufficient to cover power, infrastructure, and administrative and any other utility costs associated with the facility that remain in the event of an early contract exit, default, or permanent closure;
(c) Demonstrate to the electric utility that the facility has, or plans to have, adequate power supply, either through purchasing electricity from an entity that is not the utility or by generating its own electricity, if the utility does not have adequate power supply for the facility;
and (iv) Other provisions to hold the electric utility and ratepayers harmless if the facility were to substantially change its operations;
(d) Curtail the use of electricity provided to the facility from the electric utility during an energy emergency event at the request of the electric utility;
(b) Charges that, at a minimum, cover the full costs of serving the facility, which may include, but are not limited to:
(e) Pay real-time wholesale electricity prices;
(i) The direct costs for the utility to interconnect the facility to the utility's grid, including the costs of studies and infrastructure improvements;
and (f) Demonstrate that the facility's marginal load is served under a contract between the electric utility and the facility where:
(ii) The costs of providing electricity service to the facility, including, as applicable, energy generation, transmission, distribution, capacity, and ancillary electricity services;
and (iii) The compliance and allowance costs under chapter 70A.65 RCW associated with providing service to the facility;
(c) A requirement that the facility provide, upon request by the electric utility, timely, complete, and verifiable information related to power supply arrangements, load forecasts, operational flexibility, and other system-relevant characteristics, as necessary for the utility to assess system impacts, cost recovery, and how to condition service;
(d) Provisions requiring the facility to curtail or reduce load during an energy emergency event, including curtailing or reducing load at the request of the electric utility as informed by, but not limited to, applicable local, state, regional, and federal laws, rules, agreements, or policies;
or at the request of the Bonneville p.
7 SSB 6171 power administration under the interruptible power commitments in the emergency protocols attachment for the Columbia river system water management plan;
(e) Pricing structures that reflect cost causation and system conditions, which may include real-time pricing or other dynamic pricing mechanisms;
and (f) Provisions demonstrating that the facility's marginal load is served under a contract between the electric utility and the facility where:
or (ii) The facility funds the costs, including proportional administrative costs and any applicable start-up costs, of providing peak demand reductions at least equal to the facility's marginal load, for a utility's demand response program that serves other retail electric customers;
or (ii) The facility funds the costs, including proportional administrative costs and any applicable start-up costs, of providing peak demand reductions at least equal to the facility's marginal load, for a utility's demand response program that serves other retail electric customers.
and (iii) Diesel generator use by permitted and unpermitted sources is not increased as a result of the actions in (f)(i) or (ii) of this subsection.
(5) Any contract between an electric utility and an emerging large energy use facility must conform to the requirements in subsection (4) of this section.
(6) Any contract between an electric utility and an emerging large energy use facility must conform to the requirements in subsections (4) and (5) of this section consistent with the approved tariff or policy.
(6)(a) An emerging large energy use facility that commences operation on or after August 1, 2027, must agree to the terms of an electric utility's approved emerging large energy use tariff or contract before receiving electricity service, if seeking service, or to maintain electricity service, if already receiving service from the electric utility.
(7)(a) An emerging large energy use facility that commences operation on or after August 1, 2027, must agree to the terms of an electric utility's approved emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy before receiving electricity service, if seeking service, or to maintain electricity service, if already receiving service from the electric utility.
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(b) An emerging large energy use facility that commenced operation prior to August 1, 2027, is subject to the terms of an approved emerging large energy use facility tariff or policy of its servicing electric utility by January 1, 2028, if it is not already operating under a contract with the electric utility.
7 SB 6171 (b) An emerging large energy use facility that commenced operation prior to August 1, 2027, is subject to the terms of an approved emerging large energy use facility tariff or contract of its servicing electric utility by January 1, 2028.
(c) An emerging large energy use facility operating under a contract with an electric utility prior to August 1, 2027, may continue operating under such a contract until the later of January 1, 2028, or the renegotiation or expiration of such contract.
(c) An emerging large energy use facility operating under a tariff or contract with an electric utility prior to August 1, 2027, may continue operating under such a tariff or contract until January 1, 2028.
(d) A utility may require renegotiation or updating of a contract that an emerging large energy use facility is operating under prior p.
(7) The commission and consumer-owned utility governing boards must consider applying similar tariff or contract terms to similar future emerging large loads.
8 SSB 6171 to the deadlines in (c) of this subsection if the utility determines that it is not recovering the full costs of serving the emerging large energy use facility.
(9) The powers and authority granted in this section shall be construed as in addition and supplemental to any powers or authority conferred by any other law, and nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting any other powers or authority granted to a utility of such governmental agencies.
(1) Publish a sustainability report demonstrating how the emerging large energy use facility will address and balance energy, water, and computing performance to maximize energy efficiency, water efficiency, and overall sustainability of the facility's operations.
(1) Publish a sustainability report demonstrating how the emerging large energy use facility will address and balance energy, water, and computing performance to maximize energy efficiency, water efficiency, and overall sustainability.
The report must also provide evidence that the facility has access to an adequate water supply for the intended use of the facility through an existing or third-party water system or through a state-issued water right, as applicable;
The report must also provide evidence that the facility has access to an adequate water supply for the intended use of the facility through an existing or third-party water system or through a state-issued water right, as applicable.
(a) For proposed emerging large energy use facilities, the owner must publish such a report prior to, or at the same time as, filing an application for any state or local permit;
(a) For proposed emerging large energy use facilities, the owner must publish such a report prior to, or at the same time as, filing an application for any state or local permit.
(b) For emerging large energy use facilities in operation prior to enactment of this act, the owner must publish such a report by January 1, 2027;
(b) For emerging large energy use facilities in operation prior to enactment of this act, the owner must publish such a report by January 1, 2027.
(c) For emerging large energy use facilities in operation, the owner must update the report and publish the update every three years;
(c) For emerging large energy use facilities in operation, the owner must update the report and publish the update every three years.
Upon posting electronically, the owner must also submit a copy to the department, the department of ecology, and the local jurisdiction or jurisdictions it is proposing to locate in, or is located in;
Upon posting electronically, the owner must also submit a copy to the department, the department of ecology, and the local jurisdiction or jurisdictions it is proposing to locate in, or is located in.
(2) Annually report the following information in one report to the department of ecology by March 31st each year for the previous year:
9 SSB 6171 (a) The facility's annual water consumption and water quality permit information.
8 SB 6171 (2) Annually report the following information in one report to the department of ecology by March 31st each year for the previous year:
(a) The facility's annual water consumption.
The report must also include any water quality permits, including existing permits and new applications through federal, state, or local jurisdictions;
(b) The facility's server cooling technology and any associated use of regulated refrigerants as defined in RCW 70A.60.010 and regulated refrigerant substitutes.
(b) The facility's server cooling technology and any associated use of regulated refrigerants and substitutes as defined in RCW 70A.60.010.
The report must include monthly and annual quantities used, and of any quantities disposed outside the facility, including the entity who receives the material.
The report must include refrigerant type, full charge size, monthly and annual quantities used, any quantities leaked, and any quantities recovered for disposal outside the facility, including the entity who receives the material;
The report may provide context by comparing the facility's energy use to other users;
The report may provide context by comparing the facility's energy use to other users.
(d) The facility's annual emissions of criteria air pollutants and toxic air pollutants regulated under the Washington clean air act, chapter 70A.15 RCW, or the federal clean air act.
The report must also include any air permits, including existing permits and new applications;
(3) Upon submitting the report to the department of ecology, make this report publicly available electronically.
(1) The commission and the department must collaborate to improve resource forecasting of emerging large energy use facility loads.
(1)(a) The commission and the department must jointly develop reporting standards for emerging large energy use facilities to improve resource forecasting.
Collaboration must include facilitating a work group of electric utilities to establish best practices for commercial readiness criteria across electric utilities for emerging large energy use facilities to enter interconnection queues.
Reporting standards may include, but are not limited to, standards on data quality, documentation, commercial readiness criteria, and information about associated transmission needs.
(2) When requesting interconnection with an electric utility, each emerging large energy use facility must disclose to the interconnecting electric utility and the department whether the customer is pursuing a substantially similar request for electric service in another balancing authority, the approval of which would p.
The commission and the department must develop the standards by December 31, 2026.
10 SSB 6171 result in the customer materially changing, delaying, or withdrawing the interconnection request.
(b) After December 31, 2026, each emerging large energy use facility that is interconnected with an electric utility must provide a report, consistent with the reporting standards, to its interconnected electric utility by July 1st of each year.
Each emerging large energy use facility that is not interconnected with an electric utility must submit this report to the department.
(c) Each electric utility must consolidate any emerging large energy use facility reports it receives and submit an aggregated report to the commission in the case of investor-owned utilities and to the department in the case of consumer-owned utilities by December 1st of each year.
(2) The commission and the department must further collaborate to improve resource forecasting of emerging large energy use facility p.
9 SB 6171 loads.
Collaboration may include facilitating a work group of electric utilities to establish standardized commercial readiness criteria across electric utilities for emerging large energy use facilities to enter interconnection queues.
(3) When requesting interconnection with an electric utility, each emerging large energy use facility must:
(a) Disclose duplicative interconnection requests across balancing authorities to the electric utility;
and (b) Provide a report, consistent with the reporting standards developed in subsection (1) of this section, to the electric utility.
(3) Each emerging large energy use facility using a renewable energy credit under this chapter must document the following:
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10 SB 6171 (3) Each emerging large energy use facility using a renewable energy credit under this chapter must document the following:
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(4) The requirements in this section are in addition to any requirements the emerging large energy use facility may have as an affected market customer under chapter 19.405 RCW.
11 SSB 6171 (4) The requirements in this section are in addition to any requirements the emerging large energy use facility may have as an affected market customer under chapter 19.405 RCW.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "expanded emerging large energy use facility" means an emerging large energy use facility with an increase of 20,000 square feet or more dedicated for housing working servers or an increase of 20 megawatts or more in annual electricity consumption, where the increase occurred on or after July 1, 2026.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "expanded emerging large energy use facility" means an emerging large energy use facility with an increase of 20,000 square feet or more dedicated for housing working servers or an increase of 20 megawatts or more in the facility's maximum aggregate contract demand, where the increase occurred on or after July 1, 2026.
(1) The legislature intends by this section to allow all consumer-owned electric utilities and investor-owned electric utilities subject to the requirements of chapter 19.405 RCW, the Washington clean energy transformation act, to be eligible for allowance allocation as provided in this section in order to mitigate the cost burden of the program on electricity customers, other than, starting for the second compliance period, those customers that are emerging large energy use facilities as defined in section 2 of this act.
(1) The legislature intends by this section to allow all consumer-owned electric utilities and investor-owned electric utilities subject to the requirements of chapter 19.405 RCW, the Washington clean energy transformation act, to be eligible for allowance allocation as provided in this section in order to mitigate the cost burden of the program on electricity customers, other than, starting for calendar year 2027, those customers that are emerging large energy use facilities as defined in section 2 of this act.
For no-cost allowances distributed starting in calendar year 2026 for emissions year 2027, the department may not provide allowance allocation to mitigate the cost burden of the program on electricity customers that are emerging large energy use facilities as defined in section 2 of this act.
For no-cost allowances distributed starting in calendar year 2026, the department may not provide allowance allocation to mitigate the cost burden of the program on electricity customers that are emerging large energy use facilities as defined in section 2 of this act.
(2)(a) By October 1, 2022, the department shall adopt rules, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, establishing the methods and procedures for allocating allowances for consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities.
The department may adjust the definition of emerging large energy use facilities for these purposes by rule making informed by the reporting required in sections 4 and 5 of this act.
(2)(a) By October 1, 2022, the department shall adopt rules, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, establishing the methods and procedures for allocating allowances for consumer-owned and investor-owned p.
11 SB 6171 electric utilities.
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(c) By October 1, 2026, the department shall adopt an allocation schedule by rule, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, for the provision of allowances for the second compliance period at no cost to consumer- owned and investor-owned electric utilities.
12 SSB 6171 (c) By October 1, 2026, the department shall adopt an allocation schedule by rule, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, for the provision of allowances for the second compliance period at no cost to consumer- owned and investor-owned electric utilities.
The allowances included in this schedule must reflect the increased scope of coverage in the electricity sector relative to the program budget of allowances established in 2022.
((The allowances included in this schedule must reflect the increased scope of coverage in the electricity sector relative to the program budget of allowances established in 2022.)) (d) By October 1, 2028, the department shall adopt an allocation schedule by rule, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, for the provision of allowances at no cost to consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities for the compliance periods contained within calendar years 2031 through 2045 consistent with subsection (1) of this section.
(d) By October 1, 2028, the department shall adopt an allocation schedule by rule, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, for the provision of allowances at no cost to consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities for the compliance periods contained within calendar years 2031 through 2045 consistent with subsection (1) of this section.
(3)(a) During the first compliance period, allowances allocated at no cost to consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities may be consigned to auction for the benefit of ratepayers, deposited for compliance, or a combination of both.
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12 SB 6171 (3)(a) During the first compliance period, allowances allocated at no cost to consumer-owned and investor-owned electric utilities may be consigned to auction for the benefit of ratepayers, deposited for compliance, or a combination of both.
(b) By October 1, 2026, the department, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, must adopt rules governing the amount of allowances allocated at no cost under subsection (2)(c) of this section that p.
(b) By October 1, 2026, the department, in consultation with the department of commerce and the utilities and transportation commission, must adopt rules governing the amount of allowances allocated at no cost under subsection (2)(c) of this section that must be consigned to auction.
13 SSB 6171 must be consigned to auction.
(8) Nothing in this section affects the requirements of chapter 19.405 RCW.
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13 SB 6171 (8) Nothing in this section affects the requirements of chapter 19.405 RCW.
p.
(10) By July 31st each year, starting in calendar year 2026, each utility must provide to the department a list of existing and forecast retail customers that are emerging large energy use facilities to enable the department to provide allowance allocation consistent with subsection (1) of this section.
14 SSB 6171 (10) By July 31st each year, starting in calendar year 2026, each utility must provide to the department a list of existing and forecast retail customers that are emerging large energy use facilities to enable the department to provide allowance allocation consistent with subsection (1) of this section.
Sixty percent of the expenditures from the account must be used for energy assistance, weatherization, low-income home electrification, and related readiness upgrade purposes, which may include the following programs administered by the department of commerce:
Sixty percent of the expenditures from the account p.
14 SB 6171 must be used for energy assistance, weatherization, low-income home electrification, and related readiness upgrade purposes, which may include the following programs administered by the department of commerce:
Forty percent of the expenditures from the account must be appropriated to the student achievement council to distribute to public institutions of higher education as p.
Forty percent of the expenditures from the account must be appropriated to the student achievement council to distribute to public institutions of higher education as defined in chapter 28B.10 RCW for the following higher education purposes:
15 SSB 6171 defined in chapter 28B.10 RCW for the following higher education purposes:
(b) "Terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project" means the project labor agreement or community workforce agreement is a single agreement covering all labor organizations representing the building and construction employees involved in the project and covering all contractors and subcontractors working on the project.
(b) "Terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project" means the project labor agreement or community workforce agreement is a single agreement covering all labor p.
15 SB 6171 organizations representing the building and construction employees involved in the project and covering all contractors and subcontractors working on the project.
16 SSB 6171
16 SB 6171
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Action History

  1. Referred to Ways & Means.

  2. Minority; do not pass.

  3. And refer to Ways & Means.

  4. ENET - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  5. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.

  6. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 10:30 AM.

  7. First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 139 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (139)

139 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 6171?
SB 6171 is sponsored by Derek Stanford (Democrat), Rebecca Saldaña (Democrat), Jamie Pedersen (Democrat), T'wina Nobles (Democrat), Liz Lovelett (Democrat), Victoria Hunt (Democrat), Noel Frame (Democrat), Annette Cleveland (Democrat), Jessica Bateman (Democrat), Emily Alvarado (Democrat), Vandana Slatter (Democrat), and Sharon Shewmake (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 6171?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 15, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 6171?
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