“Initiative 937 will increase electricity bills and utility taxes for Washingtonian households and businesses,” according to Don Brunell, AWB’s President.  “AWB does support alternative energy such as biomass, solar and wind power, but I-937 will also restrict energy generation options in the future, and that is not good for our state.”

I-937’s passage may help lower electricity costs in California as it raises them in Washington. AWB member Inland Power and Light’s CEO, Kris Mikkelsen, notes that, “One of the main flaws of 937 is that it does not recognize hydropower as renewable, but the huge California market considers our small hydro renewable and is on the verge of having other policies that favor the importation of non-polluting energy – like our hydropower. The prospect of our utility having to replace some of our share of cheap existing hydropower with new, more expensive power in order to meet 937’s standards will be costly for our ratepayers.  Why they want to help Californians at our expense is beyond me.”.