Hydroelectric resources — Separate legal authority — Creation by irrigation districts and cities, towns, or public utility districts — Powers.
RCW 87.03.828
in effectOne or more irrigation districts and any combination of cities, towns, or public utility districts may create a separate legal authority to construct, finance, acquire, own, operate, and maintain hydroelectric facilities including, but not limited to, dams, canals, plants, transmission lines, other power equipment and the necessary property and property rights therefor, located within or outside the boundaries of the entities creating the authority, for the purpose of utilizing for the generation of electricity water power made available by and as a part of the irrigation water storage, conveyance, and distribution facilities, wasteways, and drainage water facilities which serve or may in the future serve irrigation districts, and to sell by contract on such terms and conditions as deemed appropriate by the legislative body of the authority the electric power and energy created by or generated at such hydroelectric facilities to municipal or quasi municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the business of distributing electricity, electrical companies subject to the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission, or irrigation districts. Any authority so created shall have the same powers and only those powers granted to irrigation districts by chapter 185, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and has such additional powers relating to its organization, right to contract in its own name, and general ability to exist and function as a separate legal authority as deemed appropriate by the entities creating it. The authority shall be created and organized by contract in the manner described in chapter 39.34 RCW and shall be a separate legal entity capable of exercising in its own name the powers granted it. No provision of chapter 39.34 RCW or any other provision of law may be interpreted to require the entities creating the authority to submit the contract creating the authority to any state, county, or municipal officer, entity, agency, or board for approval or disapproval.
One or more irrigation districts and any combination of cities, towns, or public utility districts may create a separate legal authority to construct, finance, acquire, own, operate, and maintain hydroelectric facilities including, but not limited to, dams, canals, plants, transmission lines, other power equipment and the necessary property and property rights therefor, located within or outside the boundaries of the entities creating the authority, for the purpose of utilizing for the generation of electricity water power made available by and as a part of the irrigation water storage, conveyance, and distribution facilities, wasteways, and drainage water facilities which serve or may in the future serve irrigation districts, and to sell by contract on such terms and conditions as deemed appropriate by the legislative body of the authority the electric power and energy created by or generated at such hydroelectric facilities to municipal or quasi municipal corporations or cooperatives authorized to engage in the business of distributing electricity, electrical companies subject to the jurisdiction of the utilities and transportation commission, or irrigation districts. Any authority so created shall have the same powers and only those powers granted to irrigation districts by chapter 185, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and has such additional powers relating to its organization, right to contract in its own name, and general ability to exist and function as a separate legal authority as deemed appropriate by the entities creating it. The authority shall be created and organized by contract in the manner described in chapter 39.34 RCW and shall be a separate legal entity capable of exercising in its own name the powers granted it. No provision of chapter 39.34 RCW or any other provision of law may be interpreted to require the entities creating the authority to submit the contract creating the authority to any state, county, or municipal officer, entity, agency, or board for approval or disapproval.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=87.03&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026