SEATTLE — Gov. Jay Inslee says he’ll approve a bill allowing Washington state’s largest utility to set aside money for the eventual shutdown of two coal-fired electricity plants in Montana.
Inslee also said Thursday that he’ll veto a section of the bill, though his office declined to specify which section.
Senate Bill 6248 was originally scheduled for action Thursday. Inslee spokeswoman Jaime Smith says it was moved to Friday to give staff more time to review it.
The measure lets Puget Sound Energy create a fund to cover future decommissioning and cleanup costs at the Colstrip plant in Montana, if the units are closed after 2023. PSE owns half of units 1 and 2.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock last week asked Inslee to veto the measure over concerns about its impacts to Montana.
Inslee said Thursday he has listened to those concerns but will act in the interest of Washington.