Who we regulate

See a list of energy facilities that either need our certification or may opt into our siting process.

Facilities that must apply for certification

By law, the following facility types must get approval through our siting process.

Fission nuclear power facility

Thermal electrical generation

  • Stationary thermal power plants that can generate 350,000 kilowatts or more
  • Floating thermal power plants that can generate 100,000 kilowatts or more

Pipelines

  • Crude, refined or liquid petroleum product pipelines over 6 inches in diameter and over 15 miles long
  • Natural gas, synthetic fuel, or liquefied petroleum gas pipelines over 14 inches in diameter and over 15 miles long (for facilities that are only within Washington)

Electrical transmission

  • Facilities located in “national interest electric transmission corridors” (NIETC), areas the U.S. Department of Energy has identified as having limited transmission for customers 

Petroleum refineries

  • New facilities that can refine more than 25,000 barrels of petroleum or biofuel per day, except when processing biofuel at existing facilities
  • Facilities that increase petroleum refining by more than 25,000 barrels per day
  • Crude, refined, or liquefied petroleum facilities that can receive more than an average of 50,000 barrels per day from over the ocean

Petroleum storage

  • Underground natural gas storage facilities that can deliver more than 100 million cubic feet per day
  • Liquid natural gas facilities that can receive more than 100 million cubic feet per day from over the ocean
  • Crude, refined, or liquefied petroleum facilities that can receive more than an average of 50,000 barrels per day from over the ocean (only for storage facilities that are part of a new energy plant or transmission facility)

Facilities that may choose to apply for certification

The following facilities don’t need our approval but may choose to apply for certification with us.

Alternative electrical generation

  • Wind
  • Solar
  • Geothermal
  • Renewable natural gas
  • Wave or tidal action
  • Biomass
  • Renewable or green electrolytic hydrogen
  • Fusion

Electrical transmission

  • Facilities with a voltage of at least 115 kilovolts 
  • Facilities located in multiple areas with separate land use plans and zoning ordinances 

Additional facilities

  • Facilities producing refined biofuel of no more than 25,000 barrels a day
  • Clean energy product manufacturing facilities
  • Storage facilities