The Washington State House of Representatives Technology, Energy, and Communication Committee (TEC Committee) has asked the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Commission) to provide to the State Legislature background information and detailed discussion of options to encourage the development of cost-effective distributed energy in areas served by investor-owned utilities, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing investor-owned utilities and their ratepayers in developing distributed energy in Washington.

The Commission is currently in the process of gathering information and reviewing existing literature concerning distributed energy. The Commission also seeks the perspective of investor-owned utilities, persons involved in developing distributed energy in the state, and others to better inform their efforts in this study. Attached here is the set of questions upon which the Commission seeks input.  This list includes questions that are both general and energy source-specific (e.g., solar, wind, hydro, etc.). The Commission provides an opportunity for interested persons to provide comments on these topics and questions by Friday, July 15, 2011.

The Commission also invites interested persons to a work session scheduled for Monday, July 25, 2011, in Room 206 of the Commission’s headquarters, Richard Hemstad Building, 1300 S. Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, Washington.

For additional information, see the UTC Rulemaking Website (click on "UTC invites comments on a study of the potential for distributed energy in Washington State") and UTC Docket UE-110667.