Energy Assistance
Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA)

RCW 19.405.120 states that it is the intent of the Washington State Legislature to demonstrate progress toward making energy assistance funds available to low-income households. It requires utilities to make programs and funding available for energy assistance to low-income households. Each utility must demonstrate progress in providing energy assistance pursuant to an assessment and plans developed under the statute.
Commerce is required under the statute to collect and aggregate data estimating the energy burden and energy assistance need and reported energy assistance for each electric utility, in order to improve agency and utility efforts to serve low-income households with energy assistance. In addition, the statute instructs Commerce to submit a biennial report to the Legislature that includes:
- A statewide summary of energy assistance programs, energy burden, and energy assistance need
- An identification and quantification of current expenditures on low-income energy assistance
- An evaluation the effectiveness of additional optimal mechanisms for energy assistance including, customer rates, a low-income specific discount, system benefits charges, and public and private funds
- An assessment of mechanisms to prioritize energy assistance towards low-income households with a higher energy burden
Upcoming Workshops and Deadlines
Commerce is completing its first biennial energy assistance report. Commerce greatly appreciates the support of utilities and the public throughout the drafting process.
Commerce aims to publish its report in early January 2023.
Past Workshops and Deadlines
Recordings and past workshop materials will be made available within 48 hours of a workshop.
Comment Deadline on Second Draft Report
Mon, Oct. 24, 2022
Commerce is requesting stakeholders submit comments on its second draft energy assistance report by close of business Mon, Oct. 24, 2022. Please submit comments to austin.scharff@commerce.wa.gov in both PDF and Word formats.
Materials:
- Public comments (link)
2023 Biennial Energy Assistance Second Draft Report
Rescheduled: Mon, Oct. 11, 2022
1 – 4 pm
Commerce will host a workshop to continue the discussion about its biennial energy assistance report. The agency will conclude the meeting by presenting its second draft report. Stakeholders will have until Monday, Oct 24, 2022, to submit comments on the second draft report.
Meeting info
- Zoom Recording (link)
Draft Report Comment Deadline
Fri, Sept 16, 2022
Commerce is requesting the public submit comments on its draft biennial energy assistance report by close of business Fri, Sept. 16, 2022. Please submit comments to austin.scharff@commerce.wa.gov in both PDF and Word formats.
Any suggested revisions to the Sec. 120 utility program data file or draft summaries should also be submitted to austin.scharff@commerce.wa.gov by Sept. 16.
If you have any questions as you review these documents and prepare your comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to Austin Scharff at austin.scharff@commerce.wa.gov.
Materials
- First draft report (.docx)
- One common question folks have raised is the meaning of the term “rate-based” program in the draft report and Sec. 120 utility data file. This term is used solely to identify programs that do not rely on donations as a primary source of funding. Commerce welcomes recommendations on an alternative term for these programs. Folks have suggested “utility funded” program.
- Public comments (link)
- Sec. 120 utility program data file (.xlsx)
- Draft summary of utility plans (.docx)
- Draft outreach and targeting summary (.docx)
- Recording of August 30 workshop (link)
- Recording of Data Review Instructions (link)
Commerce is requesting utilities submit their 2030 and 2050 energy assistance targets under RCW 19.405.120(4)(iii).
It was Commerce’s understanding during the last energy assistance data review process that utilities had not calculated their targets and Commerce offered to calculate them. A few utilities have since come forward with their targets and asked Commerce not to do the calculations.
The agency is honoring that request and asking utilities to submit their targets by Friday, Sept. 9.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact Austin Scharff at Austin.Scharff@Commerce.wa.gov.
2023 Energy Assistance Biennial Report Draft
Tue, Aug 30, 2022
1- 4 pm
Commerce is holding this workshop to discuss the energy assistance data it has gather as part of its draft 2023 biennial energy assistance report. Commerce will also present its draft report to stakeholders. Stakeholders will have until Fri, Sept 16, 2022 to submit comments on the draft report.
Meeting materials
- Agenda (PDF)
- Presentation (.pptx)
- Sec. 120 utility data file (.xlsx)
2023 Biennial Energy Assistance Report Outline
Tue, Aug 16, 2022
Commerce is holding a stakeholder workshop to discuss its 2023 biennial energy assistance report outline and gather stakeholder perspectives on the issues to be covered in the report.
Meeting Materials
- Agenda (PDF)
- Workshop series one-pager (PDF)
- Presentation slides (.pptx)
- Utility customer and revenue interactive dashboard (link)
- Utility customer and revenue data file (.xlsx)
- DOE LEAD Tool (link)
- Draft report outline (PDF)
- Draft report outline (.docx)
- Post-meeting survey (link)
- Meeting recording (link)
Utility Review Deadline
Fri, Aug 12, 2022
Commerce is asking utilities to review its aggregation file following its August 1 webinar to ensure the file accurately reflects prior utility data submissions and to verify that the reported low-income programs meet the definition of “low-income” established in WAC 194-40-030. Please notify ceta@commerce.wa.gov of the accuracy of the file by close of business Fri, Aug, 12.
Resources
Utility Data Review Webinar
Mon, Aug 1, 2022
11 am – 12 pm
Commerce is completing its initial aggregation of utility energy assistance reports and will be hosting a webinar on Mon, Aug. 1, 2022, from 11 am – 12 pm to present the file. The intended audience of the webinar is utilities that submitted data on their low-income energy assistance programs in February 2022. Commerce will ask utilities to review the aggregation file after the webinar to ensure it accurately reflects the utility data submissions and to verify that the reported low-income programs meet the definition of “low-income” established in WAC 194-40-030. The agency will provide further instruction on the statutory requirements to identify previous low-income energy assistance funding levels and those needed to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets under RCW 19.405.120(4)(a)(iii).
Resources
2023 Biennial Energy Assistance Report Kickoff Meeting
Wednesday, June 22
Commerce held its first workshop on RCW 19.405.120 (Sec. 120). The agency intends to use this meeting to review the statute and discuss subsections (6)(a)(iii) and (6)(b). Subsection (6)(a)(iii) requires the agency to evaluate the effectiveness of additional optimal mechanisms for energy assistance, including, but not limited to:
- Customer rates
- A low-income specific discount
- System benefits charges
- Public and private funds
Subsection (6)(b) requires Commerce to assess mechanisms to prioritize energy assistance towards low-income households with a higher energy burden.
The agency asks the public to come prepared to discuss both additional mechanisms for energy assistance and mechanisms to prioritize energy assistance toward low-income households with higher energy burden. The agency intends to hold additional workshops throughout the summer and fall to collect public input on Commerce’s work under Sec. 120. Commerce intends to submit its first biennial report under subsection (6) to the Legislature by the 2023 legislative session.
Sec. 120 requires utilities to make assistance funds available to low-income households and demonstrate progress in providing energy assistance. Commerce has established a technical advisory team to provide leadership and guidance to Commerce in the implementation of Sec. 120. This includes providing input on both the data collection, aggregation, and analysis conducted under subsections (3) and (4), and policy evaluation under subsection (6). The work of technical advisory team will help inform the public workshops this summer and fall.
Meeting materials
- Recording (link)
- Agenda (PDF)
- Mechanisms for assistance (working document) (.docx)
Technical Advisory Team
Commerce has convened technical advisory team to provide leadership and guidance in the implementation of RCW 19.405.120. This includes providing input on data collection, aggregation and analysis as well as policy evaluation under the statute.
- Technical Advisory Team Members (pdf)
- Working 2022 Team Charter 22-6-21 (.docx)
- 2022 Sec. 120(4) uncleaned data aggregated (.xlsx)
- 2020 Sec. 120(3)(b) survey data (.xlsx)
- 2020 Statewide energy burden data [RCW 19.405.120(3)(a)] (link)
- Energy Burden, Energy Assistance Need, and Program Data Webinar (link)
- Scope of work (pdf)
- CETA Data TAG Membership (pdf)
- May 14, 2020 presentation slides (pptx)
- June 6, 2020 presentation slides (pptx)
- Sept. 9, 2020 presentation slides (pptx)
- Sept. 9, 2020 LEAD Tool Demo (link)
- BPA Energy Efficiency Low-Income New Opportunities Guide (pdf)
- 2020 Sec. 120(3)(b) survey data (.xlsx)
- 2020 Statewide energy burden data [RCW 19.405.120(3)(a)] (link)
Other materials
Utility submitted reports and materials are included below.
Quick Links
Laws and Regulations
- Chapter 19.405 RCW (link)
- Chapter 194-40 WAC (link)
Data
Need Help?
Austin Scharff
Energy Policy Specialist
ceta@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-764-9632