S-5882.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6355
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Hunt, Kauffman, Chapman, Conway, Dhingra, Pedersen, Saldaña, Shewmake, and Stanford)
READ FIRST TIME 03/02/26.
AN ACT Relating to creating partnerships to improve the reliability and capacity of the electric transmission system, including through a Washington electric transmission authority; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092 , 43.84.092 , 43.84.092 , 43.84.092 , 43.84.092 , and 43.84.092 ; adding a new section to chapter 43.21F RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.31 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; providing effective dates; providing a contingent effective date; providing expiration dates; and providing contingent expiration dates.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that Washington has committed to decarbonizing its electricity system so that it is carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon free by 2045. Achieving those goals includes retiring coal and gas resources, adding new generation from renewable and nonemitting resources, and leveraging energy storage technologies. At the same time, demand for electricity is increasing significantly due to the electrification of vehicles, home heating and cooling, and manufacturing, and the expansion of the information services sector in Washington. There are significant federal, state, and private investments in clean energy development, including wind, solar, and battery storage, that support decarbonization goals and supply new electrical load. However, Washington's existing transmission system lacks the capacity to accommodate the growing demand for clean electricity.
(2) The legislature also finds that extreme weather events and changes to seasonal highs and lows puts new strain on the existing transmission system and threatens reliability. Extreme weather events and resulting conditions such as high-speed winds, floods, freezing, extreme heat, and drought, which could increase the risk of wildfire, can damage grid infrastructure and cause disruptions to the power supply. Warmer summers and colder winters increase the need for heating and cooling and thereby intensify and extend periods of peak demand.