Bill > HB2515

This bill aims to address the growing impact of "emerging large energy use facilities," primarily data centers, on Washington's energy affordability, grid reliability, communities, jobs, environment, and economy. It introduces new regulations and requirements for these facilities, including mandating that electric utilities develop specific tariffs or policies for serving them, ensuring these tariffs cover all costs associated with serving the facility and protect other customers from increased expenses. Facility owners will be required to publish sustainability reports detailing their energy and water consumption, refrigerant use, and emissions, and to annually report this information to the Department of Ecology. Furthermore, the bill mandates that new and expanded large energy use facilities must source an increasing percentage of their electricity from renewable or non-emitting sources, reaching 100% by 2046. It also modifies existing tax incentives for data centers, requiring them to meet specific job creation and green building standards to qualify for sales and use tax exemptions on equipment and infrastructure. Finally, the bill includes provisions for improved resource forecasting of these facilities' energy demands and requires that construction projects for these facilities adhere to community workforce agreements and pay prevailing wages.