Clean Energy Transformation Act

Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA)

On May 7, 2019, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which commits Washington State to achieve an electricity supply that is 100% greenhouse gas emissions free by 2045. As an electric utility, the City of Ellensburg is required to meet these requirements. 

Electricity production is the third-largest source of carbon emissions in the state. The good news is that the City of Ellensburg’s electricity fuel mix is 95% carbon free. The bill aims to curb carbon emissions by eliminating coal power, including the importation of electricity produced by coal-fired power plants in neighboring states, by 2025. Washington utilities, including the City of Ellensburg, are required by law to transition to a carbon-neutral electricity supply by 2030, before eliminating fossil fuel electricity production completely by 2045.

Clean electricity will allow Washington residents and businesses to power their buildings and homes, vehicles, and appliances with carbon free resources, such as wind and solar. Reductions in fossil fuel use will improve the health of communities, grow the economy, create family-sustaining jobs, and enable the state to achieve its long-term climate goals.

The law provides safeguards to maintain affordable rates and reliable service. It also requires an equitable distribution of the benefits from the transition to clean energy for all utility customers and adds and expands energy assistance programs for low-income customers.

The legislation requires utilities to engage the public to help determine their clean energy transition. Utilities will be required to account for the costs and impacts of carbon pollution when considering energy sources. As part of this requirement, utilities must develop a Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) that demonstrates how they will work to meet carbon standards at the lowest reasonable cost in the next four years. The City of Ellensburg is currently developing the CEIP, which will be available for review at a future Utility Advisory Committee meeting and will be posted online when complete. 

Key milestones for Washington utilities under this law include:

• 2022 – Prepare and publish a clean energy implementation plan with targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy
• 2025 – Eliminate coal-fired electricity from their state portfolios
• 2030 – Achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, may include provisions for offsets
• 2045 – Supply 100% renewable or non-emitting electricity, with no provision for offsets

For more information on CETA, please visit Washington State Department of Commerce's website here. For a deeper dive into data and visual illustrations on Washington State greenhouse gas emissions, visit the Department of Ecology webpage.