New carbon and electricity markets workgroup announced
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OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Department of Commerce and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) today named 20 members to a workgroup that will examine market issues related to implementation of the state’s new clean electricity law, the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).
CETA requires that Washington’s electric utilities phase out the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity for Washington customers. Washington utilities participate in wholesale electricity markets that cover all of western North America, and climate and energy policies vary from state to state.
The workgroup will help Commerce and the UTC understand potential market-related impacts as electric utilities comply with the Washington clean electricity requirements.
Workgroup members represent a broad set of stakeholders including environmental and public interest organizations, public and privately owned electric utilities, wholesale generators and electricity market participants, labor groups, and residential and business customers. Those individuals are:
- Charles J. Black, on behalf of Invenergy
- Ryan Bracken, Northwest Natural Gas
- Clare Breidenich, Western Power Trading Forum
- Tom Davis, Bonneville Power Administration
- Bill Drumheller, Washington Department of Ecology
- Lisa Gafken, Public Counsel Unit of Office of the Attorney General’s Office
- Wendy Gerlitz, NW Energy Coalition
- Deric Gruen, Front and Centered
- Rex Habner, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- Kelly Hall, Climate Solutions
- Therese Hampton, Public Generating Pool
- Nicole Hughes, Renewable Northwest
- Scott Kinney, Avista Corporation
- Melissa Lyons, Chelan County Public Utility District
- Kate Maracas, Western Grid Group
- Tyler Pepple, Alliance of Western Energy Consumers
- Josh Walter, Seattle City Light
- Paul Wetherbee, Puget Sound Energy
- Mary Wiencke, Pacific Power
- Cameron Yourkowski, EDP Renewables
Additional information about the carbon and electricity markets workgroup is available on the UTC’s website. To learn more about the CETA and Commerce’s work to implement it, visit the CETA webpage. Stakeholders may register on this page to receive email notices about this law.
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Contacts:
Kate Griffith, UTC Communications, (360) 664-1116
Penny Thomas, Commerce Communications, (206) 256-6106
About the UTC
The UTC is the state agency that regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington. It is the commission’s responsibility to ensure regulated companies provide safe and reliable service to customers at reasonable rates, while allowing them the opportunity to earn a fair profit.
Sign up for the UTC’s 2019 clean energy implementation updates here.
About Commerce
Commerce works with local governments, businesses, community-based organizations and tribes to strengthen communities. The department’s diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and effective public and private partnerships promote sustainable community and economic development to help all Washingtonians thrive. For more information, visit http://www.commerce.wa.gov. For information on locating or expanding a business in Washington, visit choosewashingtonstate.com.
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