Representative Shewmake’s first bill focuses on electricity disclosure

State representative Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) has sponsored legislation that would help utilities keep track of their energy sources and disclose them more clearly to consumers.

Shewmake’s first bill as Whatcom County’s new state representative is House Bill 1428, which seeks to improve fuel mix disclosures that are provided by utility companies.

These disclosures are generally provided on utility bills that consumers receive, and they state what percentage of energy came from wind, coal, hydro, nuclear and so forth.

Fuel mix disclosures are akin to the ingredients list on a can of processed food, but are currently structured in a way that can make them vague and difficult for consumers to understand. Shewmake’s goal was to add clarity and transparency for the benefit of all parties.

“Washingtonians clearly value clean energy,” Shewmake said. “But when you turn on your toaster, it’s hard to know what the source of that energy is. You don’t know if the electricity is being generated here in Washington, in British Columbia or in Arizona.  You don’t know if it was produced by wind, coal, hydro or what. This bill will help utilities keep track of their sources and disclose them in a simple format, and it will help consumers have a better idea of where their electricity is coming from.”

Shewmake said that the bill is one step in the right direction toward cleaner electricity for Washington. “To talk about 100-percent clean electricity, we’ll have to have all of our ducks in a row,” she said. “This is one of those ducks.”

HB 1428 passed the full House on a 96-0 vote on February 14 and now heads to the Senate.