Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience
Event Log
Sharon Shewmake — Sharon Shewmake is nominated and elected as chair, congratulated on taking the role, and then addressed as chair while being asked to invite Representative Ramel to the dais, with a brief response of thanks.
Sharon Shewmake — Referenced as attending the conference where the colleague's presentation was heard.
Alex Ybarra — Representative Alex Ibarra/Ibarra is nominated and approved as vice chair; the name is corrected to Alex Ybarra based on the expected member list.
Alex Ybarra — One of the four legislators serving as non-voting members is present in the room; likely one of the expected legislators, but not individually named in the transcript.
Alex Ybarra — Rep. Ybarra is thanked for his participation in the work group, and the exchange also references his earlier question about which tribes were consulted and what the tribes said.
Alex Ybarra — Alex Ybarra asked about the idea of Washington State purchasing or otherwise securing a transmission corridor and doing permitting in advance, referencing a prior proposal for the state to build transmission infrastructure and potentially sell it to a utility. He focused on whether state acquisition of land could shorten transmission project timelines by allowing pre-permitting.
Alex Ybarra — Rep. Alex Ybarra is part of a brief exchange in which he asks or raises a question, and the response thanks him for the question and addresses utility apprenticeship programs. The discussion is continuous and centered on the same topic.
Alex Ybarra — Alex Ybarra is identified and corrected from being called Senator Ibarra to Representative Ibarra, then asks about the tricky issue of connecting seams and requests an explanation of the seam-crossing challenges along with the benefits to the grid and customers.
Mark Klicker — Representative Klicker raises a question about whether the committee should consider elections going into next year to prepare for urgent data center, energy, and transmission issues.
Mark Klicker — One of the four legislators serving as non-voting members is present in the room; likely one of the expected legislators, but not individually named in the transcript.
Kate Bruns — Kate Bruns is introduced and invited to speak about the Data Center work group and energy recommendations, then she identifies herself as the governor's climate and energy policy advisor.
Glenn Blackman — Glenn Blackman is introduced and then presents the Data Center work group’s preliminary findings and recommendations. He explains that the group spent substantial time educating one another about data centers, learning across disciplines, and did not reach full consensus on all facts or recommendations. He highlights major issues including the need to deploy clean energy to keep pace with data center growth, questions about whether data centers can flex electricity use during peak periods, and surprise at recent load forecasts because data centers were not included in earlier state energy planning. He also notes the Department of Commerce’s economic development role and discusses possible partnerships between data center developers and utilities to strengthen the power system and add clean energy. Overall, he summarizes concerns about grid constraints, rapid load growth, and the adequacy of existing regulatory tools, with unresolved disagreement on whether current tools are sufficient.
Glenn Blackman — Referenced as having made similar points in the previous panel.
Beth Doglio — One of the four legislators serving as non-voting members is present in the room; likely one of the expected legislators, but not individually named in the transcript.
Beth Doglio — Beth Doglio thanked the witness and asked about the share of the portfolio devoted to reconductoring and other upgrades to existing transmission lines, then followed up by asking whether this work could ultimately support creation of a regional transmission organization and how West Tech fits into that possibility. Later references simply pointed back to her earlier question.
work group members — They are thanked for their time, knowledge, and participation in the process.
Janice Zahn — The speaker corrects themselves after initially misnaming the member as 'Rep. Son.'
Keegan Moyer — Keegan Moyer is introduced as a Zoom presenter on behalf of West Tech, then introduces himself as a partner at Energy Strategies. He explains that his firm supports utilities, developers, and governmental agencies, notes that he is appearing for West Tech, outlines that he will provide an update over the next 15–20 minutes, and says he will leave time for Q&A. He then begins describing what West Tech is.
Brett Barnard — Introduced as present to join the presentation.
Stephanie Scott — Stephanie Scott introduced herself as a senior energy policy specialist focused on clean energy workforce issues and began presenting the electrical transmission workforce study. She explained that her remarks would focus on the workforce needed to build and maintain the grid, highlighting growing demand, aging infrastructure, and an aging workforce.
Brant Johnson — Continues explaining the scale of the North Plains Connector and compares it to existing interconnections across the East-West grid.
Brant Johnson — Describes existing DC interties as small local-demand projects and contrasts them with the 3,000-megawatt North Plains Connector.
Brant Johnson — Explains his legal background and the project's focus on reducing risk in large transmission development.
Brant Johnson — Describes the project timeline beginning in October 2021 and the emphasis on stakeholder engagement.
Brant Johnson — Explains that route identification and filing took about two years, with a permit target by the end of 2026.
Brant Johnson — Describes construction timing, converter-station constraints, and an expected COD in 2032.
Brant Johnson — Explains that the Department of Energy took the lead on federal permitting because other agencies had limited staffing and capacity.
Brant Johnson — Describes tribal consultation efforts, including engagement with 20 tribal nations and cultural specialists.
Brent — Asked how the project assessed land value and compensated farmers and ranchers for property acquisition.
Brent — Acknowledged for pinch-hitting on short notice to present.
Matt Boehnke — Addressed the witness as 'Senator Benke' and raised concerns about eminent domain and land acquisition.
Matt Boehnke — Referenced as the colleague whose presentation was previously heard at a conference and whose place the current speaker is filling.