The Washington Department of Commerce has announced the successful completion of the Washington Families Clean Energy Credits Program, an initiative that provided $200 energy bill credits to more than 690,000 low- and moderate-income households across the state.
The program provided financial relief to 23% of Washington’s households, supported by electric utilities serving 99.6% of the state’s residential population.
According to a news release, the program was designed with equity and good government in mind, by directing the benefits to those who need it most and making the process as easy as possible.
The credit made a meaningful difference to utility customers, and the intentionally simple process made it easy to qualify.
The Legislature established the program in the 2024 operating budget with a $150 million budget and a deadline of September 15th. Despite the tight program timeline, Commerce, with the participation of nearly 60 electric utilities, successfully distributed all $150 million of the program’s funds in less than 100 days. The program reached customers in both urban and rural communities, showcasing the power of collaboration between the state and its utility partners.
