ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOOD. LET'S GO
LIVE HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE.
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3rd.
THIS IS THE MEETING OF PARKS
AND CITY LIGHT, AND THE
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:03, AND I'M
DEBORA JUAREZ.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
VICE CHAIR KETTLE.
CHAIR
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
FOR THE RECORD I WANT
TO ANNOUNCE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND RIVERA
ARE
EXCUSED FROM
TODAY'S MEETING. MOVING ONTO
THE APPROVAL OF
THE AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
NOT SEEING OR HEARING AN
OBJECTION, IT IS INDEED ADOPTED.
AND I'M GOING TO GO STRAIGHT
TO THE CHAIR'S REPORT
OVER WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE
HERE
TODAY. AND I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS
I
WANT TO MAKE.
THERE WILL BE A REGULAR
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEFORE
ITEMS
ON THE AGENDA.
COMMENTS SHOULD BE RELATED TO
THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA
AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON THE
AGENDA TODAY.
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
A RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION
32204 ABOUT DATA CENTERS.
THIS RESOLUTION COMES AS A
RAPID INCREASE OF LARGE DATA
CENTERS
BEING BUILT CONTINUES DUE TO THE
BOOM
IN A.I. THE RESOLUTION ADDRESSES
A
NEED FOR CITYCITY TO
LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF
DATA CENTERS ON OUR CITY
AND RESIDENTS.
THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME
HEARING THIS RESOLUTION.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE TWO NEW
AMENDMENTS TODAY WITH
TECHNICAL FIXES AND SOME
ADDITIONAL
LANGUAGE. FOLLOWING MEETINGS
WE'VE HAD
WITH EXPERTS AND OF COURSE
WHAT WE HEARD AT PUBLIC COMMENT
N MAY 20th.
OVER 30 PEOPLE HAD
PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE
PROPOSED
RESOLUTION. WE ALSO MET WITH
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON
THIS
ISSUE. THIS PRESENTATION WILL
BE PRESENTED BY ERIC
McCONAGHYMcCONAGHY
CENTRAL STAFF.
THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
A RESOLUTION AND RESOLUTION
32206. THAT APPROVES SEATTLE
CITY
LIGHTS 2026 INTEGRATED RESOURCE
PLAN, THE IRP.
AND THE IRP IS A LONG- TERM
STRATEGY TO MEET ANTICIPATED
CUSTOMER ENERGY NEEDS OVER THE
NEXT 20 YEARS IT IS
REPUBLISHED EVERY FOUR YEARS
WITH PROGRESS
REPORTS DUE EACH --
WITH PROGRESS REPORTS DUE TWO
YEARS AFTER EACH
FULL IRP. SORRY, I HAD TO GET
THAT
CORRECT. THIS IRP IS FOCUSED
ON ADDRESSING CHANGES IN
CUSTOMER
NEEDS, EXISTING POWER
SUPPLY, AND ASSUMPTIONS ON NOW
ENERGY
RESOURCE TECHNOLOGIES AND COSTS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
UNDER STATE LAW RCW 19280. 050,
THIS ACTION REQUIRES
PUBLIC NOTICE IN A HEARING,
WHICH WE'RE
DOING
TODAY. AND THIS INFORMATION IS
REQUIRED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE,
AND THE DEADLINE FOR THIS
IS SEPTEMBER 1, 2026.
THE LAST TIME THE IRP WAS
ADOPTED WAS
AUGUST 2024. MY UNDERSTANDING IS
TODAY SEATTLE CITY LIGHT WILL
BE PRESENTING A POWERPOINT.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LOOK AT A SUMMARY AND A FISCAL
NOTE.
AND OF COURSE I THINK
THERE'S MORE TO IT, BUT I JUST
LOOKED
AT THE 18-PAGE IRP, NOT THE
300- PAGE ONE.
I CONSTITUENT GOING TO
DO THAT. I'M JUST GOING TO TELL
YOU THE TRUTH RIGHT NOW.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS I'LL LET
WHEN THE LIGHT FOLKS COME UP
HERE THEY CAN INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES. I KNOW ERIC
McCONAGHY
FROM CENTRAL STAFF WILL BE
HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS
WELL.
I DO EXPECT A VOTE ON THE DATA
RESOLUTION. HOWEVER, WE'LL NOT
BE VOTING ON
THE SEATTLE CITY LIGHT 2026 IRP.
THAT WILL BE FOR OUR
NEXT COMMITTEE HEARING.
SO WITH THAT ON OUR
AGENDA, LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA
AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THIS COMMITTEE.
MR. CLERK, PAUL, POLICY PAUL,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS WE GOT SIGNED
UP TODAY IN PERSON AND REMOTE?
>> CURRENTLY HAVE 18 IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND 8 REMOTE
SPEAKERS -- OH, NINE.
>> WHAT DO WE HAVE?
SAY IT AGAIN?
LET'S DO THIS, LET'S TAKE
THE FIRST TEN IN-PERSON.
AND IF YOU COULD READ THE
NAMES OUT THREE AT A TIME SO
THEY CAN
QUEUE UP.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO
AHEAD WITH -- AND EVERYBODY
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO
AHEAD AND READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS FIRST.
WAIT, WHAT WAS IT
AGAIN? 18 AND
9?
>>
CORRECT.
>> OKAY, GO AHEAD.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS UP
TO 60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH
THEY'RE REGISTERED.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH TEN IN- PERSON
PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND BACK TO
REMOTE AND IN PERSON PUBLIC
SPEAKERS UNTIL PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD HAS ENDED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW
OPEN. FOR IN- PERSON COMMENTERS,
THE FIRST IN- PERSON SPEAKER IS
JEFF
SLOAN FOLLOWED BY GABBIEGABBIE
DARIUS.
>> HOW ABOUT THIS
ONE?
>> ALL RIGHT, BEGINNING
AGAIN, I'M JEFF SLOAN.
I WAS A DESIGN MANAGER
FOR
DECADES. I'M NOW RETIRED.
I WANT TO
MENTION WHAT WE COULD DO WITH
THE MORATORIUM.
I'M IN FAVOR.
IT COULD ALLOW US TO ADVANCE
OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENT IN
SOME PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT WAYS. THE CITY'S OWN
TOP NATURAL
GAS USER IS A STEAM PLANT
HATING SEATTLE CENTER.
DO YOU KNOW THAT DATA CENTERS
CAN MAKE STEAM, TOO?
IF NEW DATA CENTERS
WILL OCCUR IN SEATTLE, WHY NOT
JUST
OUTRIGHT LURE
ONE TO SEATTLE CENTER AND TAKE
ITS WASTE
HEAT TO MAKE STEAM FOR LESS COST
THAN USING NATURAL GAS?
I THOUGHT OF A SYSTEM THAT USES
A DATA CENTER TO HEAT
AMAZON'S DOWNTOWN CAMPUS.
TEN YEARS IN, NO REGRETS.
AMAZON'S GAS BOILERS DO STAY
OFF. CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA WAS
EXPENSIVE.
WHY UPGRADE EACH BUILDING ON THE
SEATTLE CENTER CAMPUS. WHY
UPGRADE THE CAMPUS
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION FOR HEAT
PUMPS? WHY NOT JUST MAKE YOUR
STEAM
USING
A DATA CENTER'S THROW AWAY HEAT
AND GET A CLEAN
DISTRICT HEAT SYSTEM, A STEADY
TENANT, AND REPNEUMERATIVE BASE
LOAD
FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT RIGHT
AWAY INSTEAD OF A HIGHER WINTER
CAMPUS PEAK WITHOUT STEAM
AND A SLOW CLOSING OF THE STEAM
PLANT?
AND BUSINESSES CAN STAY OPEN.
THERE ARE ALSO VERY
GOOD OPPORTUNITIES AT THE
PORT'S OPERATION AT CTAC AND AT
THE U.
DUB CAMPUS.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER'S
GABBIE FOLLOWED BY DARIUS AND
JOBI.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS GABBIE, AND I AM
HERE SPEAKING TODAY ON
RESOLUTION
32204 ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS.
AND I REALLY WANT TO
EMPHASIZE MY SUPPORT FOR THIS
MORATORIUM.
IT'S REALLY IMPERATIVE THAT
WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL
OUTLIVE
US AND SUPPORT FUTURE
COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE IN
THIS
SPACE. AND ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS
BY SUPPORTING HOUSING.
I READ THE
DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED
ONLINE AS WELL AS
THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED, AND ONE
OF THE THINGS I REALLY WANT
TO EMPHASIZE IS THE DEFINITION
OF A
DATA CENTER BASED ON THE
PAPERWORK FOR THIS RESOLUTION
IS FACILITIES USED PRIMARILY
FOR THE HOUSING, OPERATION, OR
CO-LOCATION OF --
TO SUMMARIZE THE REST OF IT --
TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES.
THE USE OF THE TERM "HOUSING"
IS VERY
INTERESTING ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE
CURRENTLY IN AN
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY
AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN SEATTLE.
BASED ON KING COUNTY'S REGIONAL
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY IN
2024'S COUNT, THEY HAD
APPROXIMATELY 16,868 INDIVIDUALS
THAT
WERE DOCUMENTED AS BEING
HOMELESS.
A 26% INCREASE SINCE 2024.
MEDIAN RENT IN THE CITY IS
APPROXIMATELY $2,237
WITH MINIMUM WAGE BEING $21 AN
HOUR. ADDITIONALLY ELECTRICITY
CURRENTLY IS $134 A
MONTH APPROXIMATELY IF YOU USE A
THOUSAND KILOWATTS IN
EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT,
CURRENTLY GAS IS $5. 75 A GALLON
ON MEDIAN.
SO ALL OF THESE FACTORS
ARE
IMPACTING AFFORDABILITY. THIS
DATA CENTER EXPANSION
WOULD ONLY FURTHER THOSE ISSUES.
AND ULTIMATELY I'M ASKING YOU
TO PREVENT THE MISUSE OF OUR
LAND, OF OUR RESOURCES, AND TO
SUPPORT
YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AKA, YOUR
NUMBERS AND FUTURE SEATTLEITES.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON
SPEAKER WILL BE DARIUS FOLLOWED
BY JODI
AND
NEIL.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS -- I'M A
SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND A MEMBER
OF
AMAZON EMPLOYEES FOR CLIMATE
JUSTICE.
I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY
WHERE EMPLOYEES
WHO SPEAK OUT POLITICALLY ARE
LEGALLY PROTECTED AGAINST
RETALIATION
BY THEIR EMPLOYERS.
I BECAME AN ENGINEER BECAUSE
BUILDING THINGS IS MY FAVORITE
WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, BUT
THE WAY TECH COMPANIES ARE
BUILDING
DATA CENTERS RIGHT NOW
IS CREATING PROBLEMS.
AEC FREQUENTLY HEARS
FROM COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY
IRRESPONSIBLE DATA CENTER
BUILDOUTS ON THE EFFECTS
OF THEIR
ELECTED LEADERS. ONE LEADER IN
PENNSYLVANIA TOLD
US, QUOTE, FEAR AND TERROR HAS
GRIPPED OUR AREA.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE
GOING TO STRIKE NEXT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SUPERVISOR TO
TALK TO, IS UNDER NDA,
WHO HAS BEEN PAID OFF, ET
CETERA.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T
RELY ON THESE COMPANIES TO
REGULATE THEMSELVES.
SEATTLE NEEDS TO SET THE
TERMS SO THE WAY ANY NEW DATA
CENTERS GET BUILT HERE ACTUALLY
MOVES
US CLOSER TO THE FUTURE
WE WANT. SOME IDEAS FOR THE CITY
COUNCIL -- REQUIRE
PUBLIC REPORTING OF WATER
AND ELECTRICITY USAGE.
DEMAND BIG DATA CENTERS PAY FOR
100% ADDITIONAL RENEWABLE
ENERGY CAPACITY, TRANSMISSION,
AND STORAGE THAT STABILIZES THE
GRID AND MAKES ELECTRICITY
CHEAPER.
BAN NDAs AND SHELL
COMPANIES THAT HIDE WHO THE
DEVELOPERS
ARE, DISTRICT HEATING, JOB
PROTECTIONS, WEATHERIZATION.
THERE IS SO MUCH WE CAN
DO. THERE IS A WORLD IN WHICH
MORE DATA CENTERS COULD BRING
US CLOSER TO A GOOD FUTURE,
BUT IT WILL EXIST ONLY IF WE
DREAM BIG
AND KEEP THE POWER IN THE
HANDS OF THE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN-PERSON PUBLIC
SPEAKER IS JODI FOLLOWED BY
NEIL AND
BRYAN.
>> HI.
HI, MY NAME'S JODI LINEMAN,
AND I'M A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACH,
SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS
ABOUT
THE KIDS WHO ARE GRADUATING FROM
COLLEGE RIGHT NOW AND THE
INABILITY TO GET A JOB
BECAUSE OF THESE DATA CENTERS
AND A.I.
MY DAUGHTER'S ONE OF THEM.
SHE HAS TWO COLLEGE DEGREES
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, NOT EVEN JOB
INTERVIEWS
COMING
UP. AND HER FRIENDS, IT'S THE
SAME
WAY. I FEAR FOR THE FUTURE, AND
I
AM HOPING YOU VOTE FOR THIS
MORATORIUM TO TAKE THE IMPACT
ON SOCIETY THAT THESE DATA
CENTERS AND A.I. ARE GOING
TO HAVE. PERHAPS THE INTENTION
RIGHT NOW
ISN'T TO USE A.I., BUT IT
COULD BECOME THAT, AND WE'LL
SEE MORE JOB LOSSES, MORE KIDS
NOT ABLE
TO FIND
A JOB. MY SECOND CONCERN IS THE
ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE WATCHED
VIDEO AFTER VIDEO
OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DATA
CENTERS
NEAR THEIR HOMES. THEY TURN ON
THEIR FAUCETS AND
BROWN WATER COMES OUT, AND
THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR
THAT. MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO DIED
15 YEARS
AGO, SURPRISINGLY ONE OF THE
LAST THINGS SHE SAID TO
ME IS NEVER FORGET WHAT A
MIRACLEMIRACLE IT IS THAT A
GLASS OF WATER --
SHE GOES WHAT A
MIRACLE IT IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE
A GLASS OF
WATER.
AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT
THAT, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WE HAVE FORGOTTEN.
WE HAVE FORGOTTEN BECAUSE WE'RE
USING SO MUCH WATER TO RUN A.I.
WE DON'T NEED A.I. , BUT WE
DO NEED WATER.
WE NEED FOOD, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE
NEED TO USE WATER FOR.
FINALLY, I LOOKED INTO SOME --
I RESEARCHED SOME OTHER
COUNTRIES,
AND MANY COUNTRIES ARE PUTTING
REGULATIONS ON THE EXPANSION OR
BUILDING OF DATA CENTERS
AND A.I.
THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON SPEAKER
IS NEIL FOLLOWED BY BRYAN AND
AUDRY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS NEIL ANDERSON.
AND IF YOU'D ASKED ME A YEAR
AGO
IF I SUPPORTED A DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM I WOULD HAVE SAID NO.
AT THAT TIME THE TECH
COMPANIES SAID THEY WERE
PLANNING TO
BUILD THEM WITH A MASSIVE AMOUNT
OF
RENEWABLES WITH UTILITY
SCALE BATTERY STORAGE AND DEMAND
RESPONSE CAPABILITY THAT WOULD
HELP STABILIZE THE GRID.
THEY SAID THEY'D USE COLD
LOOP SYSTEMS THAT WOULD LIMIT
WATER USE AND PROVIDE FREE
HEATING
TO NEARBY BUILDINGS.
BUT IS THAT WHAT
THEY DID?
NO. INSTEAD THE MAJORITY OF
THE POWER FOR DATA CENTERS BUILT
IN THE PAST YEAR HAS COME FROM
FOSSIL FUELS.
AND RATHER THAN BUILDING
STATE-OF-THE- ART COOLING
SYSTEMS, THEY'RE WASTEFULLY
EVAPORATING HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF CLEAN WATER EVERY
SINGLE
DAY, THEY'VE EXTENSIVELY USED
NDAs
TO PREVENT THE PUBLIC
FROM KNOWING HOW MUCH RESOURCES
ARE BEING
CONSUMED.
THIS IS A CLIMATE AND
EKE LOGICAL DISASTER, AND
IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY'RE
IN SUCH A RUSH TO BUILD THESE
DATA CENTERS THAT THEY'RE
NOT STOPPING TO HAVE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN
BE
INTEGRATED INTO THE
GRID RESPONSIBLY. I ASK YOU
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON NEW DATA
CENTERS SO THAT WE CAN
START HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON SPEAKER
IS BRYAN FOLLOWED BY AUDRY AND
PAUL.
>> HI. MY
NAME IS BRYAN. I'M A DISPLACED
TECH WORKER
AND A LIFELONG ARTIST.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT RESOLUTION
32204, AND THIS MORNING I
COMMENTED MY SUPPORT FOR THE
MORATORIUM ON DATA
CENTER CONSTRUCTION IN SEATTLE.
WHEN I HEAR THAT THERE MAY BE
PLANS FOR HYPERSCALE A.I.
DATA CENTERS THAT WOULD GUZZLE
UP
MORE MEGAWATTS OF
POWER, I TAKE THAT TO MEAN I
WILL BE
THE VICTIM OF MORE POWER
OUTAGES.
IN 2026 ALONE I ALREADY HAD A
POWER OUTAGE ON FEBRUARY 9th AND
ONE ON MARCH 13th, AND
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE OUTAGES EACH
YEAR BEFORE THAT WITH SEATTLE
CITY
LIGHT. WE DON'T NEED MORE
STRAIN ON THE
GRID FOR TECHNOLOGY THAT MADE
WASHINGTON HIGH
SCHOOLERS VICTIMS OF DEEP FAKE
APPS.
WE DON'T NEED DATA
CENTERS FOR A.I. TO DENY AND
DELAY
MEDICARE TO WASHINGTON SENIORS.
THESE ARE REAL THINGS THAT
HAPPENED.
A.I. TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT
NEED MORE MEGAWATTS.
IT NEEDS MORE MEGA-REGULATION.
I AM URGING THE CITY COUNCIL TO
SUPPORT RESOLUTION 32204.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BRYAN.
HEY, BRYAN, CAN I ASK YOU
A QUICK QUESTION?
IS THAT THE NEW SAMSUNG
FOLD
PHONE? OH, BECAUSE IT
LOOKED LIKE IT, AND I REALLY
WANT ONE SO --
>> NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER
IS AUDRY
FOLLOWED BY PAUL.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
SPECIALIZING IN POWER AND
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 2.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOUR
TIMES ALREADY.
I SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM ON
DATA CENTERS.
RIGHT NOW I WANT TO PULL
YOUR ATTENTION TO AMENDMENT
1 THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT
TODAY,
YOU'LL BE VOTING ON TODAY WHICH
IS TO ALLOW EXISTING
DATA CENTERS WITHIN SEATTLE TO
EXPANDEXPAND THEIR CAPACITY BY
UP
TO
APPROXIMATELY 20 MEGAWATTS, AND
I WANT COUNCIL TO CONSIDER
POTENTIALLY AMENDING IT
FURTHER AND TO BE VERY CAREFUL
WE'RE
NOT CREATING LOOPHOLES FOR BIG
TECH
COMPANIES. JUST A BACK OF THE
NAPKIN
CALCULATION. WE HAVE ABOUT 30
TO 50 DATA CENTERS HERE IN
SEATTLE.
IF EACH OF THEM DID EXPAND
AN ADDITIONAL 20 MEGAWATTS, THAT
WOULD BE 600 MEGAWATTS, WHICH
MAYBE DOESN'T MEAN
ANYTHING, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY
OVER HALF OF THE
ENTIRE CITY OF SEATTLE'S
CURRENT POWER USAGE.
SO THAT WOULD BE A
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IF EACH
DATA
CENTER WERE TO USE THAT
CAPABILITY.
AND TECH COMPANIES COULD, IN
FACT, RENT THAT CAPACITY FROM
THEM.
SO I WANT TO CAUTION THE COUNCIL
ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE
NOT CREATING LOOPHOLES TO GET
AROUND THE MORATORIUM IN THIS
AMENDMENT. ADDITIONALLY, I
WANTED TO ALSO SHARE WITH YOU
I'VE BEEN
POSTING A LOT ONLINE LATELY
ABOUT THIS
MORATORIUM.
AND THE VIDEOS I'VE
BEEN MAKE HAVING BEEN GETTING A
LOT
OF
ATTENTION. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND
COMMENTS
THAT THEY'VE SHARED WITH ME
THAT HAVE REALLY STOOD OUT IS A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY AMAZED
THIS CITY COUNCIL IS DOING SO
MUCH.
YOU'VE RESPONDED TO NEARLY THE
100,000 LETTERS THAT
WERE SENT AND LISTENING TO ALL
OF US.
YES TO THE MORIER TOM, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY KEEP SUPPORTING
IT
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
>> YES, WE WILL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON SPEAKER
IS PAUL FOLLOWED BY --
>> THAT'S ANNOYING.
SO THAT'S THE SOUND OF A
DATA CENTER.
HOW LOUD? 93 DECIBELS OUTSIDE OF
VIRGINIA.
THIS KIND OF THING CAN BE HEARD
UP TO 2 MILES AWAY, AND
THIS
KIND OF CONSTANT NOISE ACCORDING
TO THE CDC CAN CREATE STRESS,
ANXIETY. SOMETHING YOU DON'T
HEAR BUT
YOU FEEL IT.
IT'S LIKE A BUZZ.
IT CAN BE FELT UP TO 5 MILES
AWAY.
AND THIS KIND OF HARM IS
NOT COVERED BY ZONING RULES
BECAUSE IT'S
NOT SOUND. IT'S THE TYPE OF
REASON WHY
WE NEED MORATORIUMS TO TACKLE
THESE KIND OF NEW ISSUES.
THE ISSUE OF HEAT, 3.6 --
ON AVERAGE ON INCREASE OF 3.
6 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT LOCALLY
DUE TO
DATA CENTERS. SOMETIMES UP TO A
16-
DEGREE INCREASE.
AND THESE KIND OF EFFECTS
CAN STRETCH AS FAR AS 6 MILES
AWAY.
SO YOU ALREADY KNOW
MORATORIUM VERY IMPORTANT.
AND OTHER BAD NEWS IS THIS
WILL ONLY BE THE BEGINNING OF
THE FIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE
ALTERNATIVES, AND HAS
BEEN PROPOSING WHAT THEY
CALL DISTRIBUTED DATA CENTERS.
BASICALLY THEY WILL PUT
MINI DATA CENTERS ON THE SIDE OF
HOMES AND PAY THE HOME OWNERS
FOR THAT. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING
DATA
CENTERS, SOMETHING YOU WOULD
REGULATE, WE HAVE MINI
DATA CENTERS THAT CREATE THE
SAME ISSUE BUT DILUTED
THROUGHOUT THE
CITY.
SO THERE'S MORE WORK AFTER THIS
MORATORIUM TO BE DONE
BECAUSE THEY ARE FINDING WAYS TO
--
FIRST THEY'RE TRYING TO OUTPACE
GROWTH, WE KNOW IT.
THEY'RE ALSO TRYING FINDING
WAYS TO GO AROUND REGULATION
THAT IS
CURRENTLY SET. ON THE TOPIC I
WILL BE
SENDING AN E- MAIL SO YOU CAN
SEE THE
PROJECT.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT -- OUR NEXT IN- PERSON
SPEAKER, AND THEN WE'LL BE GOING
TO REMOTE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
>> HEY, PAUL, CAN YOU ANNOUNCE
THE SPEAKERS CAN YOU WAIT
UNTIL
PEOPLE ARE DONE CLAPPING BECAUSE
I CAN'T
HEAR. GO AHEAD.
I DIDN'T
GET YOUR NAME.
>> ALL OF YOU BETTER CLAP FOR
ME OR I'M GOING TO BE UPSET.
I'M THE ORGANIZATION CALLED
SOAPBOX PROJECT WHERE PEOPLE
GATHER EVERY SINGLE WEEK TO MAKE
OUR CITY BETTER BECAUSE WE LOVE
LIVING IN CITIES WITH PARKS AND
SPACES AND OKAY TRANSIT,
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT
FOR
A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
TO ME THIS -- FIRST OF ALL, YES
TO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS THAT
THEY MADE SO FAR.
I THINK THAT THING ABOUT
HOUSING WAS VERY APT AND HOW IT
REALLY REFLECTS THAT THIS
CONVERSATION IS NOT JUST TO ME
ABOUT
DATA
CENTERS. IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE
LEADERSHIP
THAT WE HAVE TO EXIST IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
BECAUSE A TYPE OF WORLD WE
ARE CREATING NOW BECAUSE OF THE
MANY TURNING POINTS WE'RE IN
TECH
LOGICALLY, ECLOGICALLY,
THE DECISIONS WE MAKE AT THIS
POINT IN TIME WITH THIS COUNCIL,
THESE ARE GOING TO AFFECT
GENERATIONS TO COME IN A WAY
THAT HAS NOT
BEEN THE CASE AT ANY OTHER TIME
IN HISTORY.
THESE MORATORIUMS MAKE
A DIFFERENCE.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT WAS THE POTENTIAL
LOOPHOLE THAT COULD BE
INTRODUCED BY
THE
AMENDMENT. I'M SURE
EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS
IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE
A COOKIE CHILDHOOD STORY.
AND WE ALL KNOW
THAT TECH COMPANIES ARE REALLY
CREATIVE
AT GETTING AROUND
LOOPHOLES, GETTING AROUND
AMENDMENTS, TAKING ADVANTAGE,
EXPLOITING, AND HONESTLY BEING
REALLY
CREATIVE.
SO I THINK THIS MORATORIUM,
THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THIS ONE
YEAR NEEDS TO BE BEYOND
JUST FIGHTING THE DATA CENTERS
BUT CONTINUING
TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC ON
HOW WE CAN BUILD A STRONGER CORE
TO DECIDE THE TYPE OF CITY
THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN BECAUSE
WE --
WE CANNOT BE BULLIED.
WE SHOULD NOT BE BULLIED.
WE HAVE ELECTED COUNCIL SO THAT
WE CAN HAVE A BODY
THAT STANDS UP FOR US AND THE
THINGS
THAT WE WANT AS A CITY, SO I
SUPPORT THE
MOR MORATORIUM, AND I HOPE WE
CAN MOVE CAREFULLY AS WE THINK
ABOUT ANY PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN-PERSON
PUBLIC SPEAKER WILL BE --
FOLLOWED BY
REMOTE PUBLIC SPEAKERS LUCY AND
NATHAN.
>> HI.
I'M A DJ, MUSIC PRODUCER,
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER, INDUSTRIAL
DESIGNER, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
AND WHAT I REALLY WANT TO
THINK OF MYSELF AS IS SOMEONE
WHO WANTS TO SEE THIS WORLD
BECOME
A
BETTER PLACE. I VISITED SEATTLE
TEN YEARS AGO.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY
THEN. IT ALWAYS STRUCK ME AS A
PLACE THAT COULD BE A SHINING
BEACON
FOR THE REST OF THIS COUNTRY ON
WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE
WORK TOGETHER.
IT'S NO SECRET THAT BIG TECH IS
ALL IN ON THESE DATA CENTERS, ON
EXPANDING THEM IN THE WAYS
THAT THEY WANT TO, NAMELY SHORT-
TERM
PROFITS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS
MORATORIUM SO THAT WE AS A CITY
CAN DECIDE WHAT KIND OF
FUTURE WE WANT TO BUILD
TOGETHER.
THERE'S SO MUCH -- WHEN I LOOK
AT A DATA CENTER, I SEE SO
MUCH WASTED POTENTIAL.
THERE IS PLENTY OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR THINGS TO BE
INCORPORATED
IF WE WANT TO DREAM BIG --
THINGS LIKE AGROPONICS WITH ALL
OF
THE EXCESS WATER THAT IS BEING
USED. ACTUAL RENEWABLE ENERGY
BEING
ENFORCED, AND NOT JUST SIDE-
STEP THROUGH THE USE OF NATURAL
GAS OR WHATEVER, OTHER FOSSIL
FUELS THESE COMPANIES WANT.
IN SHORT, I THINK THAT WITH THIS
TIME TO ACTUALLY TAKE A BREATH,
PAUSE, AND EXAMINE WELL-
DESIGNED DATA CENTERS, IF THESE
ARE TO BE
THE FUTURE OF WHAT OUR
COUNTRY -- WHAT THE ECONOMY
WILL BE GOING FORWARD ON,
THEN WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT
THAT
FUTURE SERVES SEATTLE AND
THE PEOPLE IN IT, NOT JUST BIG
TECH
COMPANIES. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL NOW MOVE ONTO REMOTE
SPEAKERS AND THEN COME BACK
TO IN-PERSON.
FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS GOING TO
BE LUCY JOHNSON.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX WHEN YOU HEAR THE
PROMPT THAT YOU'VE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS LUCY, AND I
AM TESTIFYING IN FAVOR OF
RESOLUTION 32204, A
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS.
I'M A RECENT GRADUATE, WHO
LIKE MANY OF MY PEERS IN
MY GENERATION, IS CONCERNED
ABOUT
AFFORDABILITY, ESPECIALLY THE
PRICE OF UTILITIES SUCH
AS ELECTRICITY AND WATER,
WHICH HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED TO
INCREASE IN PRICE BECAUSE
OF DATA CENTERS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS
AROUND THEM.
AS A YOUNG PERSON I'M AFRAID
OF BEING PRICED OUT OF THE
CITY THAT I LOVE AND THAT I GREW
UP
IN. ADDITIONALLY, AS A FIVE-
YEAR VOLUNTEER FOR SEATTLE AREA
PARKS, I BELIEVE THAT THERE
ARE BETTER USES FOR OUR LIMITED
LAND SUCH AS PUBLIC SPACES AND
MORE PARKS.
I LOVE THIS
CITY, AND I HOPE TO EBOO ABLE TO
SPEND MY ADULT
YEARS IN HERE WITHOUT
BEING PRICED OUT.
I HOPE YOU CAN SUPPORT
YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME BYPASSING
THIS
MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE NATHAN FOLLOWED BY
HANNAH
AND
PAT. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN
YOU HEAR THE PROMPT THAT YOU'VE
BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> IS NATHAN THERE?
>> NATHAN, PRESS STAR SIX IF
YOU CAN.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS NATHAN.
CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>>
YEP.
>> GREAT. I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH
SOAPBOX PROJECT SEATTLE AND
WITH CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY,
AND I'M ASKING THE COMMITTEE TO
PASS
RESOLUTION 32204
RELATING TO DATA CENTERS.
AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE
AMENDMENTS, I HAVE A COUPLE OF
THOUGHTS. PEOPLE IN SEATTLE HAVE
A RIGHT
TO FAIRLY PRICED ELECTRICITY.
BUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS A
LUXURY. WE WERE DOING JUST FINE
WITHOUT
IT, AND I SAY THIS AS
SOMEONE WHO WORKS ON A.I. AT A
A.I.
STARTUP COMPANY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO
HELP US THAT MUCH.
DATA CENTERS DON'T BENEFIT
PEOPLE.
THEY BENEFIT CORPORATIONS.
I SHOULD SAY UNREGULATED
DATA CENTERS BECAUSE THERE'S A
CHANCE THAT WITH THE PROPER
LEGAL
FRAMEWORK DATA CENTERS
COULD HELP THE CITY.
I WANT TO UNDERLINE WHAT I
HEARD FROM DARIUS AND NEIL
BEFORE, THINGS LIKE BANNING
NDAs, REQUIRING NEW CLEAN ENERGY
TO
SUPPORT THE AMOUNT OFOF
THE DATA CENTER
USES, MONITORING WATER USAGE AND
SO FORTH.
THERE'S A WAY FOR IT TO HELP
THE
CITY, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE
COMPLICATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK TRYING TO FIGURE THIS
OUT,
AND THAT'S ALL I
GOT.
>> THANK YOU, NATHAN.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE
SPEAKER WILL BE HANNAH FOLLOWED
BY PAT AND
CHRIS.
>> DID YOU SAY HANNAH
OR ANNA?
>>
HANNAH.
>> I DON'T SEE YOUR TILE.
THERE YOU ARE.
HI,
HANNAH.
>> HIGH. I SUPPORT RESOLUTION
32204.
I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
WHO'S LOVED WORKING, STUD KRG,
VOLUNTEERING AND BEING A PART OF
SEATTLE SOAPBOX. I'M VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT ANY
PROPOSAL TO BUILD LARGE DATA
CENTERS OUR CITY, AND STRONGLY
SUPPORT A MORATORIUM ON
DATA
CENTERS. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN HOW
THEY
HARMED OTHER COMMUNITIES SUCH
AS IN OREGON AND GEORGIA.
AND I TRULY WORRY ABOUT HOUSE
THESE CENTERS WILL AFFECT
OUR REGION POWER AND WATER
RESOURCES PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE
DROUGHT
CONDITIONS OUR STATE HAS
BEEN FACING THE LAST FEW YEARS,
NOT TO MENTION THEY'RE LIKELY
TO LEAD TO HIGHER UTILITY
COSTS IN A CITY ALREADY
EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN,
WHICH REALLY JUST NEGATIVELY
IMPACTS
ALL OF US RESIDENTS.
I'M REALLY PROUD SEATTLE IS
A CITY -- A MORATORIUM
WOULD GIVE US MORE TIME TO
PRESENT NECESSARY SAFE GUARDS
AND REZULATIONS AND
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY TO
PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES BOTH IN
THE
PRESENT AND FOR THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE PAT FOLLOWED BY CHRIS
AND
DAVID.
PAT, IF YOU CAN PRESS
STAR SIX.
>> PAT?
>> YEAH, I'M PAT, A
LIFELONG WASHINGTONIAN AND GEEK
FROM
DISTRICT 1.
JUST READING OVER THE
AMENDMENTS AND WITHOUT GETTING A
LITTLE NITPICKY WITH THE
LANGUAGE,
I HOPE IT'S NOT THERE TO MAKE
DATA CENTER LOBBYISTS FEEL
BETTER
ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
BUT OVERALL I THINK THAT THE
AMENDMENTS, ALSO I
UNDERSTAND ALLOWING SOME
EXPANSION
OF EXISTING ONES BUT ALSO
WORRY ABOUT LOOPHOLES.
BUT I REALLY LIKE THE
ADDITION OF RECOGNIZING THE
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS BEYOND ANY
INDIVIDUAL
PROJECT.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY REALLY
IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THE SYSTEM CAN ONLY
TOLERATE
SO MUCH. SO KEEPING THAT BROAD
VIEW IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. I WAS ALSO
HAPPY TO SEE THE LINE
AT THE ENDEND INDEED
ANY DATA CENTERS THAT HAVE
FUTURE PROJECTS PROJECTS ARE
GOING TO BE
IMPACTING OUR NEIGHBORING
CITIES AND ALL ACROSS
WASHINGTON.
VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THE
MORATORIUM, TOO.
I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE LED WITH
THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING
ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE CHRIS FOLLOWED BY DAVID
AND
ALBERTO.
CHRIS, IF YOU CAN
PRESS STAR SIX.
>> HI, I'M CHRIS.
I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
I'M A LONG- TERM
SEATTLE RESIDENT.
I'M A CLIMATE JUSTICE ADVOCATE
ENERGY NERD AND HERE
WITH SOAPBOX PROJECT AND 360
SEATTLE.
RESOLUTION 32204 AND DATA
CENTERS, TECH REALLY LIKES
TO MOVE FAST AND BREAK THINGS,
WHICH IS FINE
WITH SOFTWARE. IN CONTRAST DATA
CENTERS THREATEN TO BREAK OUR
PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE. NEVER MIND THE
NEEDS OF LARGE
SCALE DATA CENTERS.
DROUGHTS ARE REDUCING
WATER FLOWS, WHICH REDUCES OUR
POWER
OUTPUT. AND THE BONNIVILLE POWER
ADMINISTRATION IS OUT
OF CAPACITY FOR THE CITY DEMAND
TO CALL ON SUCH AS COLD SNAPS
AND
HEAT WAVES.
THEY DON'T PROVIDE
EMPLOYMENT, THEY DON'T PROVIDE
HOUSING.
THEY DON'T PROVIDE ANY
ECONOMICECONOMIC OR RESOURCES
AT ALL FOR THE CITY ITSELF TO
USE. ADDITIONALLY, LOOKING OUT A
YEAR
AHEAD WE COULD SEE THIS A.I.
BUBBLE POTENTIALLY BURST, AND
THEN WE'LL BE LEFT WITH WHAT?
DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
UNDERUTILIZED,
THAT WERE BUILT AND NOW ARE
SOMEONE
ELSE'S
PROBLEM? SO THERE'S SO MANY
FACTORS
TO CONSIDER, AND I KNOW THERE'S
SO MANY FACTS ALREADY SHARED,
BUT, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, REALLY THINK ABOUT
THE FACT THAT THEY CONSUME
RESOURCES WITHOUT PRODUCING
BENEFITS.
AND THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
CHRIS.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE DAVID FOLLOWED BY
ALBERTO AND
ELON.
>> ELON, OKAY.
>> LAST NAME IS NOT
MUSK.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO
SAY.
>> DAVID, ARE YOU THERE?
>> HI, THANK YOU.
HEY, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
YOU KNOW HOW THERE'S A FAILURE
WITH
THE POLICE CHIEF TO
HELP SOLVE THE CRISIS AT THE
PARKS, AND
HE'S DECIDESED HE'S GOING
TO SHUTDOWN THE PARKS AND RUIN
IT FOR EVERYBODY AND
START ENFORCING TICKETING ON
THE LAW-ABIDING
COMMUNITY WHO WANTS TO EXERCISE
THEIR FREEDOM
AND LIBERTY TO GO FOR A WALK
LATE
AT NIGHT CHECKING OUT THE STARS?
BUT YET THE POLICE CHIEF
REFUSES TO DEAL WITH ALL THE
EVIL PREDATORS THAT KEEP
TRAFFICKING AND PUSHING AND RIDE
AROUND
IN STOLEN VEHICLES.
WE NEED NEW LEADERSHIP WITH IT
POLICE CHIEF.
AND, SEPARATELY, I THINK
Y'ALL NEED TO ADDRESS THE
TRANSFER
LINES, THE TRANSMISSION LINES.
YOU KNOW ALL THOSE HIGH WIRES
THAT LOOK LIKE
MODERN THIRD-WORLD VENEZUELA
HANGING
OUTSIDE PEOPLE'S
APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN SEATTLE
LIKE WITH A
CONSUMPTION MALFUNCTION
THAT WASTES A LOT OF ENERGY?
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
TRANSFER STATION IN FREMONT,
RIGHT
NEAR THE FREMONT BREWERY ONE OR
TWO
BLOCKS AWAY, AND EVERY ONCE IN
A WHILE IT EXPLODES WITH AN
OVER-PRESSURIZED
NEED TO SHARE MORE HOUSING WITH
MORE
ENERGY, AND YET NONE OF THOSE
ROADS
HAVE BEEN BLOCKED OFF SO PEOPLE
CAN'T DRIVE THROUGH.
IT SEEMS WHEN YOU HAVE A
CONSHUCHL SOMEONE MALFUNCTION
TO IT GETS TO SOME RUN DOWN
PIECE OF REAL ESTATE, IT'S
CONSUMING AND WASTING MORE
ENERGY
THAN THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
BUILDING
THAT'S ALLOWED TO USE
BECAUSE SEATTLE HAS ALL THESE
APT
WAITED, OUT DATED,
DILAPIDATED REAL ESTATE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE
THE TRAIN DRIVING THROUGH THE
PARKS, GOLDEN GARDEN PARK,
MYRTLE EDWARDS PARK, THE
WHOLE COMMUNITY, THERE NEEDS TO
BE
AN ADDRESSING OF THE
TOXIC ENVIRONMENT THAT THE
WATERFRONT GETS CHOKED OFF FROM
IT.
YOU ALL KEEP IGNORING.
YOU ALL ARE
JUST COPYCATTING WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE ARE
PUSHING INTO NATIONAL MEAD YOU
AND DISTRACTING FROM LOCAL
ISSUES THAT ALSO NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED
LIKE THE CONSUMPTION MALFUNCTION
OF THE COAL TRAIN.
WE GOT A CONGESTION PRICE
TAX, THE COAL CARS WATERFRONT
SEATTLE --
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER
WILL BE ALBERTO FOLLOWED BY
ELON.
ALBERTO, IF YOU CAN PRESS STAR
SIX.
>> ALBERTO?
>> I'M
HERE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WHY ALLOW EXISTING
DATA
CENTERS TO EXPAND DURING THE
MORATORIUM?
DATA CENTERS ARE A BAD DEAL FOR
OUR CITY, USING UP MORE POWER
COMPARED TO WHAT
SEVERAL THOUSAND HOMES WOULD
TYPICALLY USE.
INCREASING UTILITY
BILLS WOULD HURT FAMILIES AND
WORKING
PEOPLE ON SHRINKING
BUDGETS. THEY WON'T PROVIDE
ENOUGH
LONG- TERM JOBS TO BUILD
OUR
COMMUNITIES. OUR TAXES WILL
SUBSIDIZE THEIR AND EXPANSION,
TRAINING OUR LOCAL WATER SUPPLY
AND SPEWING HOT EXHAUST THAT
WILL HARM OUR AIR QUALITY.
THESE DATA CENTERS ARE HI- TECH
MINING OPERATIONS WHERE
BILLIONAIRES AND A.I. COMPANIES
GET ALL THE PROFIT WHILE WE
PAY WITH OUR RESOURCES, TAX
SUBSIDIES, UTILITY COSTS,
HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT,
AND MORE. NO MATTER THE PROMISES
--
NO MATTER THE PROMISES THEY
MAKE,
WE WILL END UP LOSING.
NO TO DATA CENTERS TODAY OR
EVER.
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE
A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
WILL BE ELON ROBINSON FOLLOWED
BY
LAUREN
REDFIELD.
>>
ELON.
>> CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> IT'S
ELAN, SORRY.
>> YES, SOMEONE TOLD ME I
SHOULD REBRAND.
SO MY NAME IS
ELAN. YUM HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF THE DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
I'M A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND
A RECENT GRADUATE FROM SEATTLE
CENTRAL COLLEGE.
MY CLASSMATES AND I
ARE GRADUATING CLASS
ARE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF JOB
INSECURITY AND ESPECIALLY
A LACK OF JUNIOR POSITIONS IN
OUR FIELD.
PARTIALLY AT LEAST BECAUSE
OUR WORK IS BEING
AUTOMATED BY-PRODUCTS THAT WERE
TRAINED WITHOUT CONSENT ON OUR
CREATIVE
WORK AND THAT OF
OUR PREDECESSORS IN OUR FIELD.
AND JUST AS THE A.I.
PRODUCTS LIKE THIS THAT ARE
EXTRACTING VALUES FROM OUR WORK
AND OUR
SKILLS, DATA CENTERS THAT
ARE BUILT FOR A.I. ARE
PILLAGING RESOURCES THAT SHOULD
BE FOR
THE PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS AMIDST A HISTORICAL
HOUSING CRISIS HERE IN
SEATTLE, AN AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS, AND
NOT TO MENTION THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CRISIS THAT'S ONGOING.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE
A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
ALL OF THIS TO BENEFIT
COMPANIES WHO ARE SELLING THESE
PRODUCTS THAT AUTOMATE JOBS,
SELLING OUR
PRIVACY, AND ALLOW THINGS TO
DISCRIMINATE THAT ALLOW PEOPLE
TO APPLY FOR NEEDED MEDICAL
PROCEDURES.
IN SEATTLE WE HAVE FOR THIS
MORATORIUM AND I'M PROUD
WE'RE
CONSIDERING THIS. AND THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT REMOTE SPEAKER
IS LAUREN REDFIELD.
SHE'S NOT CURRENTLY CALLED IN.
YOU WANT TO MOVE TO
IN-PERSON?
>>
YEAH.
>> LAUREN, IF YOU COULD
CALL BACK IN.
BACK TO IN- PERSON SPEAKERS
WE HAVE -- FOLLOWED BY PATRICK
AND
SARIAH.
>> DID WE GET THAT RIGHT?
SORRY, OKAY, THANK
YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER,
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 7,
AND I WOULD LIKE TO VOCALIZE
SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION 32204 ON
THE BASIS
OF TAKING TIME TO RESEARCH
THESE CENTERS AND THEIR LONG-
TERM
IMPACTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH
AND SAFETY.
AS AN ENGINEER I UNDERSTAND
WANTING TO PURSUE
PROGRESS, BUT AS AN ENGINEER I
TOOK AN OATH
DURING A CEREMONY MY
SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE, AND I
PLEDGED TO,
QUOTE, SERVE HUMANITY BY
MAKING THE BEST USE OF THE
EARTH'S PRECIOUS WEALTH,
UNQUOTE.
AND I THINK THAT MATTERS
MORE THAN PROGRESS FOR THE SAKE
OF
PROGRESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A
SHORT
STORY. I AM FROM MEMPHIS,
TENNESSEE.
MY FAMILY HAS RESIDED IN
MEMPHIS FOR JUST ABOUT TEN
YEARS,
AND TWO YEARS AGO ELON MUSK AND
HIS
EX-A.I. COMPANY BROUGHT
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIS A.I.
DATA CENTER CALLED COLOSSUS
ONLINE IN JANUARY 2024.
IN 2025 AFTER THE
CENTER HAD BEEN OPERATIONAL FOR
ONE YEAR,
RESEARCHERS AT MY
ALMA MATER, UNIVERSITY OF
TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE FOUND
ATE CONCENTRATIONS INCREASED.
WITHOUT REFLECTING ON THESE
FINDINGS THE COMPANY DECIDED
TO START CONSTRUCTING ANOTHER
DATA CENTER IN
ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD IN MEMPHIS.
I THINK ONE POINT OF NOTE
IS BOTH THE CURRENT DATA CENTER
AND THE NEWLY ANNOUNCED DATA
CENTERS
ARE BOTH IN TWO OF THE
POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS IN MEMPHIS
RIGHT NEXT TO COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES
THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXPOSED
BEYOND
MEASURE TO CHRONIC ILLNESSES
AND DISEASES VIA WATER POLLUTION
AND AIR POLLUTION.
AND THEY TAKE YEARS TO
MANIFEST ONCE THE DAMAGE IS
ALREADY
IRREVOCABLE. SO IN CONCLUSION, I
URGE THIS
COUNCIL TO WEIGH THE
EXTREMELY HEAVY PUBLIC AND
SAFETY
COSTS BYPASSING THIS RESOLUTION
AND
REEVALUATING THE IMPACTS IT
WILL HAVE ON LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON SPEAKER
IS
PATRICK FOLLOWED BY -- AND
BRADLEY.
>> YEAH, HI, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PATRICK McKEY, AND
I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
I'M A RETIRED FILMMAKER AND
I WORRY ABOUT THE A.I. THREAT TO
THAT INDUSTRY, TO MY
FELLOW WORKERS AND THE CREATIVE
PROCESS. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT
THE PASSAGE
OF RESOLUTION 32204 FOR ALL THE
REASONS FOLKS IN THIS ROOM AND
100,000 ADDITIONAL
COMMENTERS HAVE LAID OUT OVER
THESE
PAST FEW WEEKS.
BUT I'M CONCERNED.
THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE
REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT
ATTACHING ANY AMENDMENTS AIMED
AT
PERMITTING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY
FOR SPECIFIC
EXISTING USERS.
ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF THE
PROPOSED MORATORIUM TO
BASICALLY HIT PAUSE AND REALLY
EXPLORE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF
DATA
CENTER EXPANSION?
AND IF THE RESOLUTION IS
ALREADY LOADED WITH LOOPHOLES
AND
CARVEOUTS AND EXEMPTIONS AND
ALL THE ASSOCIATED LEGAL
DEFINITION
AND WRANGLING THAT CAN GO WITH
THOSE, IT CAN HELP UNDERCUT AND
DELAY THE INTENTION.
SO THANK
YOU.
>>
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON SPEAKER
IS
SARAJ FOLLOWED BY BRADLEY
AND JACE.
>> MEMBERS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL,
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A MACHINE
LEARNING ENGINEER
AND A.I. SCIENTIST AND FOUNDER.
HERE ARE
THE FACTS. I MOVED HERE IN 2021.
IF MY ELECTRIC BILL WAS
$800 THEN 831. 10 TODAY WITH THE
SEEMINGLY REASONABLE
5% INCREASES.
THAT'S HOW COMPOUNDING HURTS.
IF
IT'S HARD TO AFFORD HEAT IN THE
WIPT IT HEARTS HARDER DUE TO
IN LARGE PART BY BIG TECH
COSTS THAT END UP SUBSIDIZED BY
EVERY DAY FOLKS VIA OR POWER
BILL
AND TAXES.
DO NOT VOTE TO WORSEN THE
CRISIS.
EVERY LAND PLOT PERMITTED FOR A
DATA CENTER AND NOT
HOUSING COULD LEAD TO 1,000 TO
2,000
FUTURE RESIDENTS GOING UNHOUSED.
I WILL SUBMIT ON RECORD THAT
IS ROUGHLY IT
YUTSAGE OF 15 TO 20,000
HOUSEHOLDS WORTH OF
POWER.
IN OTHER WORDS, ONE WOULD
VOTE TO PROPOSE ADDITIONAL FOR
THE CITY OF SHORELINE.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO ADOPT
STRICTER EXPANSION CAPS THAT
PREVENT COMBINED
CUMULATE OVERAGES WORSE THAN THE
INITIAL PROPOSALS.
IF THERE IS GOING TO BE
ANY PERMITTING OF INCREASES AT
ALL, MORATORIUM MEANS PAUSE, NO
BUTS.
HERE'S A THOUGHT.
IF WE INSTEAD MANDATE DATA
CENTERS HIT DELETE ON THEIR
CONTROL OF I.C.E.
AND FLOCK SURVEILLANCE, THE CITY
COULD
GET CRITICAL COMPUTING BACK FOR
ITS
PUBLIC USAGE.
NO EXPANSION NEEDED.
THANK YOU.
SOLIDARITY.
>> OUR NEXT IN-PERSON
PUBLIC SPEAKER IS BRADLEY
FOLLOWED
BY JACE AND
SAMANTHA.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS BRADLEY.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 3.
I'M A SEATTLE SEATTLEITE --
AND I ALSO URGE YOU TO VOTE YES
ON THE SEATTLE CITY MORATORIUM.
OUR GRID CANNOT HANDLE MORE
DATA
CENTERS. OUR GRID IS ALREADY
OVERSTRAINED BY VERY HIGH
DEMANDS, AND
WHAT DO THE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE
INSTEAD TO MANAGE THESE
DEMANDS ARE CLEAN ENERGY
DEPLOYMENT, SOLAR ENERGY, BATTER
ENERGY
STORAGE, HEAT PUMPS THAT WILL
BENEFIT US AND NOT CONTINUE TO
STRAIN THE GRID.
I
ALSO SECOND PREVIOUS COMMENTS
ABOUT THE RESOLUTIONS
AND AMENDMENTS.
AND THAT'S ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN-PERSON PUBLIC
SPEAKER IS JACE FOLLOWED BY
SAMANTHA AND
JIM.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS
JACE MURPHY.
AS OF THE 17th OF THIS
MONTH I WOULD HAVE LIVED HERE
FOR ONE
YEAR. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED
WHEN I
GOT HERE IS I COULD ACTUALLY
BREATHE LIVING FOR 23 YEARS IN
THE SOUTH WHERE INDUSTRY
IS GREATLY UNREGULATED AND
CAUSES
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL
DEVASTATION GOING BACK
GENERATIONS IS THAT
IT'S SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ONCE IT HAS
HAPPENED.
SO SOMETHING I HAVEN'T HEARD
A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IS
THAT ACTUAL, LIKE,
GENERATIONAL DEVASTATION LOOKS
LIKE
WHEN THINGS GO UNCHECKED AND YOU
DO NOT HOLD THE
INDUSTRIES RESPONSIBLE IF IT
ACCOUNTABLE.
SO WHERE I'M FROM IS BATON
ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF
FROM NEW ORLEANS, WHICH YOU
PROBABLY HEARD OF, BUT ALSO
WITHIN AN HOUR AND A HALF OF A
PLACE CALLED CANCER ALLEY,
AN INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR
WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND WORK IN
FACTORIES.
PEOPLE LIVE AND
WORK THERE. THAT'S THEIR
COMMUNITY, BUT
THEY HAVE INCREASED RATES OF
CANCER THAT ESSENTIALLY WIPES
THEM
OUT AT A VERY EARLY AGE AS WELL
AS
INFRASTRUCTURE
CONCERNS REGARDING POLLUTION,
WHERE
INFRASTRUCTURE CANNOT BE
UPDATED BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY TOO
TOXIC
TO DISTURB. AND THE COMPANIES
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AREN'T BEING,
LIKE,
MADE TO CLEANUP AFTER
THEMSELVES.
SO IN ASKING YOU TO PUT THIS
MORATORIUM IN PLACE, I'M ASKING
YOU TO MAKE IT AS STRICT AS
YOU POSSIBLY CAN AND TO NOT
LET EVERYTHING SLIDE.
EVERY INCH YOU GIVE THEM, THEY
WILL TAKE
A MILE. ANY TIME YOU ARE NOT
LOOKING
AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING, THEY'RE
GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING THEY
WANT TO DO THAT IS NOT IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS CITY
OR THE LANDS SURROUNDING IT OR
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
ASIDE FROM THE CONCERNS THAT THE
IT'S A DANGER TO, LIKE,
OUR SAFETY, HEALTH, AND
HAPPINESS THAT WE ARE
OWED.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT IN-PERSON
PUBLIC SPEAKER IS SAMANTHA
FOLLOWED
BY JIM AND
KENDRA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA,
AND I'M A MEMBER OF SOAPBOX
SEATTLE AS WELL AS A RECENTLY
LAID OFF TECH WORKER THAT WAS
WORKING WORKING
WITH A.I. AND A DESIGNER.
SO I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY NOT
ONLY IN SUPPORT OF THE
MORATORIUM 32204 BUT ALSO TO
TALK A BIT ABOUT A.I. AND MY
PERSPECTIVE ON IT AND
THE EFFECTS THAT THESE
DATA CENTERS WOULD HAVE.
SO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE HERE
HAVE BROUGHT UP REALLY GOOD
POINTS ABOUT THE UTILITY AND
WATER
COSTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANT TO BRING
MY PERSPECTIVE ON A.I. , WHERE
I BELIEVE THAT THESE COMPANIES
--
ALL THESE BIG TECH COMPANIES
ARE BEING EXTREMELY PARASITIC.
THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY
TURNING THESE RESOURCES THAT ARE
TO
BE USED FOR OUR HEALTH AND
SAFETY, WATER, ELECTRICITY,
UTILITIES INTO CAPITAL, RIGHT?
AND THAT CREATES A LOT OF
PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING
TO CREATE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
THAT DON'T EXIST
YET, RIGHT? SO I THINK AS A
PREVIOUS SPEAKER
MENTIONED, THE SITUATION OF WE
HAVEN'T NEEDED A.I. BEFORE AND
THIS IS A LUXURY GOOD, RIGHT,
SO WE'RE TRYING TO KATE ARE A
NEED
FOR SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T NEED
TO
HAPPEN. AND, YES, SO FOR THE
IMPACT
TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS
FEEDING THESE PARASITIC
ENTITIES, I
BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE
VERY STRICT ABOUT NOT EXPANDING
THESE
DATA CENTERS OR ALLOWING THEM
TO BE EXPANDED.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER IS
JIM FOLLOWED BY KENDRA
AND LAUREN REDFIELD ON OUR
REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> WELCOME, JIM.
>> HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JIM BANES.
I'M A CANDIDATE MEMBER OF
THE AMERICAN PARTY OF LABOR.
YOU HEARD BEAUTIFULLY
ARTICULATED, WELL CITED
RESEARCH OF CONSTRUCTED DATA
CENTERS
IN SEATTLE.
IN LIGHT OF THAT I'M
DEMANDING ALL OF YOU PASS AND
EXPANDS THE
PORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS TO
BE PERMIT AND TAX ANY DATA
CENTER
EXPACTIONS AT 1,000% OF
THE CURRENT PROPERTY TAX RATE.
WE MUST EITHER BAN
THESE FACILITIES OUT RIGHT OR
TAX
THEM INTO OBLIVION TO PAY FOR
THE
ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND
HUMAN THAT SEATTLEITES WILL
FACE.
A.I. AND TECH COMPANIES
TARGET COMMUNITIES OF WORKERS
WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO LOBBY
AGAINST
DATA
CENTER CONSTRUCTIONS. IN MEMPHIS
ELON MUSK'S EX-A.I.
OWNED BY SPACEX, WHO SEATTLE
IS CURRENTLY CONTRACTING WITH
FOR
STARLINK USE WITH SPD
THROUGH THE WORLD CUP AND FIVE
MONTHS AFTER -- SO WE'RE
ALREADY SUPPORTING ELON MUSK AND
THOSE
PROJECTS.
THEY WERE CONSTRUCTED
IN SOUTHWEST
AND BOXTOWN COMMUNITIES IN
MEMPHIS.
THESE COMMUNITIES IN THE
VERY SHORT TIME THAT DATA
CENTERVISE EXISTED HAVE
EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT RISE IN
RATES OF
ASTHMA, RESPIRATORY DISEASE
AND
CANCER. AFTER A YEAR IF WE ALLOW
THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DATA
CENTERS, WHERE CAN WE EXPECT
THAT TO HAPPEN?
IT WILL HAPPEN IN
WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR WHO ALREADY
FACE DISPROPORTIONATE RATES
OF CHRONIC DISEASE,
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND
CANCER RATES. THESE DATA CENTERS
WILL
TARGET OUR COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH
SEATTLE AND WILL TARGET OUR
COMMUNITIES DOWN IN GEORGETOWN.
THEY WILL GO AND IMPACT
ALREADY EXISTING AND ALREADY
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES HERE.
THIS IS ALL WITHOUT
CONSIDERING THE MATERIAL
IMPACTS OF THE POWER GRID THAT
SEATTLE
SITES
WILL FACE. A POWER OUTAGE IN THE
PEAK OF
SUMMER PUTS MY ELDERLY
NEIGHBORSNEIGHBORS IN THE RISK
OF HEATSTROKE.
AN OUTAGE IN THE DEPTHS
OF WINTER COULD CAUSE FAMILIES
TO FREEZE IN THEIR HOMES.
THERE'S REAL LIVES AT STAKE
HERE, NOT JUST REVENUE,
NOT JUST SEATTLE BECOMING AN
A.I.
HUB LIKE MAYOR WILSON WANTS
TO PURSUE.
THESE ARE
PEOPLE'S LIVES.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
>> OUR NEXT IN- PERSON
PUBLIC SPEAKER IS KENDRA
FOLLOWED
BY REMOTE SPEAKER LAUREN
REDFIELD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
I'M A
CANDIDATE MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN
PARTY OF LABOR, AND I
URGE YOU NOT ONLY TO PASS
THIS RESOLUTION BUT TO MAKE
IT INCLUSIVE OF ANY EXPANSIONS
AND
FURTHER TO MAKE IT PERMANENT.
DATA CENTERS HAVE HAD
NOTHING BUT HORRIBLE IMPACTS ON
THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE
BUILT NEAR AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE GETTING REPORTS OF
RARE CANCERS THROUGH AIR AND
WATER
POLLUTION. WE'RE GETTING
REPORTS OF
THEM AFFECTING POWER GRIDS, AND
THEY DISPROPORTIONATELY
AFFECT MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES, SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE
OF COLOR
AND UNHOUSED PEOPLE.
WE'RE ALREADY
DEALING WITH GLOBAL WARM
[INCREASING
DROUGHTS HERE IN THE PACIFIC
NORTH
WEST, AND DATA CENTERS CAN
INCREASE
GROUND AND AIR TEMPERATURE BY
4 DEGREES.
NOW I'M GOING TO READ FROM
THE RESOLUTION.
IT SAYS NEW DATA CENTERS
REQUIRE GREAT AMOUNTS
OF ELECTRICITY FOR OPERATION,
RESULTING
IN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN
DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY AND
REQUIRING INVESTMENT IN NEW
INFRASTRUCTURE
TO MEET DEMAND.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I
LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT, AND I
HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASING
POWER
BLACKOUTS OVER THE
LAST YEAR. AND EVERY TIME THAT
HAPPENS,
MY NEIGHBORS AND I, WE CAN'T
USE WATER EITHER.
THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT
THESE DATA CENTERS DEMAND WOULD
NOT ONLY MAKE THE ALREADY
EXISTING
STRAIN ON OUR POWER CENTER --
POWER GRID WORSE, EXCUSE ME, IT
WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE COSTS
OF OUR ELECTRIC BILLS.
AND THESE CORPORATIONS DUMP
THOSE COSTS ONTO US.
THE MORATORIUM NOT ONLY NEEDS
TO BE PASSED, WE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT EXISTING CENTERS ARE
NOT
ALLOWED TO EXPAND.
THIS MORATORIUM NEEDS TO BE
MADEMADE
AND COMPLETE.
THANK YOU.
>> KENDRA, LET ME ASK YOU
A
QUICK QUESTION. DID YOU READ
FROM THE MORATORIUM
OR THE RESOLUTION?
>> THE RESOLUTION AND THE
MORATORIUM.
>> IS THAT OUR SECTION IN
THERE THAT SHE READ THE FIRST
PART?
>> IT WAS FROM THE REGISTRAR
WEBSITE.
>> OKAY. BUT YOU QUOTED THE
RESOLUTION AND THE
MORATORIUM.
>> YES.
IT WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS
MEETING.
>> JUST WANTED TO MAKE
SURE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
>> OUR FINAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER WILL BE LAUREN
REDFIELD REMOTE.
WHEN YOU HEAR YOU'RE ALLOWED TO
TALK, PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX.
>> LAUREN?
DID YOU SAY
LAUREN?
>> HI, CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN, LAUREN.
GO
AHEAD.
>> GREAT.
I'M AN ENERGY PRODUCT MANAGER,
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6 AND
A MEMBER OF THE WASHINGTON A.I.
RESISTANCE.
I SUPPORT THE DATA CENTERS
MORATORIUM.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE
RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE
IMPACTS --
AND AFFIRM THE RIGHTS OF
NATIVE COMMUNITIES TO EXERCISE
THEIR
RIGHTS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THE CONSIDERATIONS AND FEEDBACK
FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I AM NOT, HOWEVER, IN FAVOR
OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE
MORATORIUM LAND USE ORDINANCE
INTRODUCED --
THE LARGESTIDATE ACENTER
IN SEATTLE IS 30 MEGAVOLT AND
WOULD ALLOW THE DATA CENTER TO
EXPAND TO 50 NOT CONSIDERING ALL
OF THE
OTHER DATA CENTERS THAT WOULD
BE ALLOWED TO EXPAND.
NOTABLY THIS AMENDMENT IS NOT
AVAILABLE ONLINE BEFORE
THE HEARING AND
REMAINS UNAVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC
REVIEW ONLINE.
I WAS ONLY ABLE TO SEE
IT BECAUSE A COMRADE SENT ME A
HARD PACKET COMMIE FROM
HIS PHONE. I'M LETTING YOU KNOW
THIS ASAS
CITY
LIGHTS COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY WE'LL
BE REVIEWING THIS OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF DATA CENTER
MORATORIUMS AROUND OUR
COUNTRY ADOPTED ELSEWHERE DO NOT
INCLUDE THIS EXCEPTION.
COLLECTIVELY, THESE
EXPANSIONS COULD INCREASE
ELECTRICITY DEMAND, INCREASE OF
THE POWER OF
WHOLESALE MARKS IN OUR STATE
AND
REGION AND CONTRIBUTE TO
PRESSURE ON ALL OF US EVEN
WHILE THEY HAVE A MORATORIUM IN
PLACE.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LAUREN.
MR. CLERK, WE HAVE ANYMORE
FOLKS?
ALL
RIGHT. THAT WAS OUR LAST
SPEAKER, AND AT THIS POINT I AM
NOW GOING TO
CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ONTO ITEMS
OF
BUSINESS. SAYING MADAM CLERK
AGAIN.
MR. CLERK, PAUL, CAN YOU
PLEASE READ ITEM 1 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, REZZINGLUTION
32204, A RESOLUTION RELATED TO
DATA CENTERS RELATING
THE RECOGNIZING THE POTENTIAL
OF LONG- TERM IMPACTS OF
DATA CENTERS ON ELECTRICAL GRID
CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY,
WATER USAGE, UTILITY RATES, LAND
USE AND DEVELOPMENT, JOBS AND
THE
ECONOMY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND REQUESTING ENGAGEMENT AND
COOPERATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
DATA CENTER POLICIES AND
POTENTIAL
LEGISLATION, AND
ANTICIPATES RELATED LEGISLATIVE
A BRIEFING,
DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> OH, THERE WILL BE A VOTE.
I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION
32204. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION, BUT
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS,
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND INTRODUCE
THE RESOLUTION. THIS RESOLUTION
IS A
CULMINATION OF MONTHS OF WORK,
WHICH MY
TEAM AND COUNCILMEMBER LYNN
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S TEAM
STARTED LAST OCTOBER OF 2025.
WE SPENT THE FIRST PART OF
THE YEAR TRACKING STATE
BILLS THAT WERE SEEKING TO
CREATE PROTECTIONS AND
LEGISLATION
AROUND DATA CENTERS AND A.I.
HOWEVER, ONLY ONE OF THE
TEN PASSED.
WE'VE ALSO
ATTENDED AND FOLLOWED THE
WASHINGTON STATE A.I. TASK
FORCE AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
AND OTHER EFFORTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WITH TRIBES AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GRAPPLING
WITH THE BOOM IN MEGADATA
CENTERS. OUR WORK HAS LED TO
THISTHIS
RESOLUTION IN TANDEM WITH THE
MORATORIUM THAT WAS PASSED THIS
MORNING, COUNCIL BILL 121214
IN COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S
COMMITTEE,
FINDING THERE'S A LACK OF
UNDERSTANDING AND RESEARCH
AROUND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS
THESE MEGA- DATA CENTERS
WILL HAVE UPON OUR COMMUNITIES.
AS A TECH CITY, IT IS VITAL
WE UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL
EFFECTS AND CREATE SAFE GUARDS
BEFORE ALLOWING THE UNCHECKED
BOOM
OF BUILDING IN OUR CITY.
AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER LIN AND HIS
STAFF, STEPHANIE, THADDEUS, AND
GARRET
FOR PARTNERING IN THIS WORK, AND
ERIC McCONAGHY AND STAFF FOR HIS
WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION AND
ALLALL
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS WHO
CAME OUT TO GIVE INPUT INCLUDING
350
SEATTLE, AND DID YOU
SAY THE TROUBLE MAKERS?
IS THAT A GROUP?
THERE THEY ARE, WITH THE PINK
PIN, I REMEMBER.
AND THEN I DON'T SEE -- WHAT
WAS THE ONE GUY WITH THE
T-SHIRT?
WHAT WAS HIS
NAME? WHAT?
NO, WHAT WAS THE T-SHIRT.
PEARL JAM.
PEARL JAM GUY.
I HATE IT TELL YOU THIS, BUT I
DO NOT KNOW PEARL JAM SONGS,
AND I'M FROM HERE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'VE
GOT ERIC McCONAGHY UP HERE.
HE'S GOING TO WALK --
HE'S FROM
CENTRAL STAFF. HE'S OUR
ANALYSTS.
HE WILL TAKE US THROUGH HIS
POWERPOINT, WHICH IS
SEVEN
PAGES. AND ARE YOU READY TO GO,
ERIC?
>> YEP, I SURE AM.
>> OKAY, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE, AND
IT
WAS POSTED. THE DATA CENTER
POLICY
RESOLUTION. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS, ERIC.
GO AHEAD.
>> ERIC McCONAGHY,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
SO, YEAH, THIS -- AS ALL THE
FOLKS IN THIS ROOM KNOW
THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT
DATA CENTERS.
THESE ARE FACILITIES
MAINLY USED -- FORGIVE ME FOR
THE
FOLKS THAT ARE HERE, MAYBE FOLKS
THAT TUNED IN NEW TO THE
SUBJECT,
SO SOME OF THIS MATERIAL IS
GOING TO SEEM REDUNDDANT, BUT
IT'S GOING TO GET ON IT RECORD
FOR
NOW AND FOR POSTERITY.
SO I'LL MOVE EFFICIENTLY
THROUGH
THESE SLIDES. DATA CENTERS ARE
FACILITIES PRIMARILY USED FOR
HOUSING,
CO- LOCATION AND OPERATION
OF EQUIPMENT.
AND THEY HAVE ALL THE FACILITIES
WITH THEM TO KEEP THEM COOL AND
BACK THEM UP.
THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
THE SUBJECT OF THIS CONVERSATION
TODAY AND THIS RESOLUTION
LARGELY COME WITH THE GROWTH
OF ART INITIAL INTELLIGENCE
AND THAT HAS ACCELERATED
THE DEMAND FOR NEW DATA CENTERS.
IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS
CAN INCLUDE ELECTRICAL GRID
CAPACITY
AND RELIABILITY, WATER
USAGE, UTILITY RATES, LAND USE
AND DEVELOPMENT, JOBS AND THE
ECONOMY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH SUCH
AS NOISE, LIGHT, WATER, AND AIR
POLLUTION. THIS RESOLUTION CALLS
FOR
THE COUNCIL OF THE EXECUTIVE TO
WORK TOGETHER TOWARD THESE
POLICY GOALS TO REDUCE OR
MITIGATE
ANY DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF DATA
CENTERS, TO HOLD DATA
CENTER INVESTORS AND OPERATORS
ACCOUNTABLE, AND HOOHARVEST OR
MAXIMIZE ANY BENEFITS OF DATA
CENTERS.
THERE IS, OF COURSE, RELATED
LEGISLATION.
THERE'S THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM THAT WAS JUST THIS
MORNING, THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
THAT MORATORIUM -- THE NEXT
STEP IN THE MORATORIUM WOULD
BE COUNCIL AND UPON ITS PASSAGE
AFTER FINAL ACTION WOULD PUT A
PAUSE ON MORATORIUM
DEVELOPMENT FOR A YEAR TO ALLOW
FOR STUDY.
ALSO THE CITY COUNCIL WILL
TAKE UP A CITY LIGHT RATES
ORDINANCE LATER THIS SUMMER THAT
DOES INCLUDE A NEW CUSTOMER
CLASS
FOR DATA CENTERS.
SPEAKING THE NOTION IS TO
HAVEHAVE CITYWIDE
INTERDEPARTMENTAL STUDY
OF THE IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
THAT WE WOULD SEE AS A RESULT OF
THE
PASSAGE OF THE ADOPTION OF
THIS RESOLUTION AND THE PASSAGE
OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE
THE ACTIONS TAKEN UP UNDER THE
WORK
PLAN. THIS WOULD INCLUDE
CONSULTING
WITH EXTERNAL GROUPS AND
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING
THOSE
LISTED EAR. IT WOULD BE TO
DEVELOP UPDATES
TO THE ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT
REGULATIONS, ALSO
DEVELOP UPDATES TO STRUCTURES
FOR CITY
LIGHT AND PUBLIC UTILITIES, AND
TO EXPLORE VOLUNTARY DATA
CENTER -- EXCUSE ME,
VOLUNTARY DATA CENTER COMMUNITY
BENEFITS.
THIS BRINGS US TO AMENDMENT 1
TO THIS RESOLUTION.
THE SPONSOR OF THIS AMENDMENT
IS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
HE WOULD UPDATE THE TITLE,
THAT UPDATE TO THE TITLE WOULD
GO
ALONG WITH SOME CHANGES THE
VERB THAT'S USED IN SECTION 1.
IT WOULD ADD A RECITAL
REGARDING CUMULATIVE IMPACTS,
AND
ALSO CLARIFY A SECOND ABOUT
THE UPCOMING DATA CENTER
CUSTOMER CLASS IN THE CITY
LIGHT ORDINANCE.
I'LL PAUSE THERE TO ALLOW
FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR, OF
COURSE, CHAIR TO TALK ABOUT THIS
AMENDMENT.
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, I
DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING
MORE TO ADD
BESIDES WHAT YOU PUT IN
THERE, AND I WAS JUST GOING TO
OPEN IT
UP AFTER YOU FINISHED TO MY
COLLEAGUES TO QUESTION EITHER
AMENDMENT.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO
CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE AMENDMENT
NUMBER 2 AND THEN WE CAN DO
THAT.
>> LET'S DO THAT.
AND I WAS GOING TO
LOOP BACK AND ASK MY COLLEAGUES
AND THEY
HAD QUESTIONS ON AMENDMENT 1 AND
2.
AND I HAD SOME COMMENTS ON
AMENDMENT 2, BUT
GO AHEAD.
>> AND AMENDMENT 2 WOULD ADD AN
ITEM TO SECTION 1
REGARDING POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND
IS QUOTED
HERE. IT WOULD CALL OUT THE
RIGHTS
OF FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
TRIBES, URBAN INDIANS AND NATIVE
COMMUNITIES TO EXERCISE
ANY EXPRESS OR TREATY RIGHTS TO
ACCESS AND FISH AND ALL THE
USUAL AND CUSTOM PLACES THAT HAS
ACURED SINCE
TIME IMMEMORIAL. THE SPONSOR OF
THIS AMENDMENT IS
COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> ALL RIGHT, KEEP
GOING?
>> THAT ROUNDS OUT THE ITEMS
THAT ARE PREPARED TO SPEAK
TO FROM THE SLIDES.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
AND SUPPORT THE
CONVERSATION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT
AREARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS
REGARDING THE TWO AMENDMENTS
BEFORE
WE ACTUALLY GO INTO
AMENDING AND ADDRESSING THE
ACTUAL AMENDMENTS, CORRECT?
YEAH, OKAY.
OH, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T SEE
YOU.
>> NO WORRIES.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR THIS
OVERVIEW -- EXCUSE ME.
FIRST, A BRIEF NOTE.
I HAVE PREVIOUSLY REACHED OUT
TO SEATTLE ETHICS AND ELECTION
COMMISSION DIRECTOR WAIN BARNETT
SEEKING GUIDANCE BECAUSE MY
WIFE, SPOUSE, WORKS
FOR
MICROSOFT. SHE IN HER ROLE AND
CAPACITY
AT THE COMPANY WORKS WITH DATA
CENTERS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY
COMPLIANCE WITH GLOBAL
DATA CENTER REGULATIONS
GLOBALLY,
SO I REACHED OUT SEEKING
GUIDANCE
ON A POTENTIAL CONFLICT
OF
INTEREST. AND DIRECTOR BARNETT
ADVISED THAT GIVEN THE GLOBAL
SCALE OF
MICROSOFT'S EFFORTS AND MY
WIFE'S SPECIFIC ROLE IN THAT
AS OPPOSED TO BROKEN OUT BY
REGION OR GEOGRAPHY OR
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS, GLOBAL
NATURE
A RECUSAL IS NOT REQUIRED.
AND MY WIFE JUST FOR WHAT IT'S
WORTH ALSO DOES NOT
PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMERCIAL
DECISIONS TO
EXPAND OR NOT EXPAND IN
ANY EVENT.
JUST WANT TO MY DISCLOSURE GET
IT ON THE RECORD.
NOW A QUESTION ABOUT
THE AMENDMENT.
SO CURIOUS -- I'M JUST SEEING
THIS, AND CURIOUS ABOUT THAT
SECTION 4 PROVISION.
WHAT -- HOW?
I CAN SEE WHAT THE TEXT ON
THE PAPERS SAY.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR
YOU,
ERIC? AND MAYBE FROM YOU, MADAM
CHAIR, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THE
INTENT IS ON THIS SPECIFIC
ELEMENT OF THE
AMENDMENT?
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO ALLOW --
I DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL IN
FRONT OF ME.
WELL, I DO.
BUT GO AHEAD,
ERIC. DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THE
CUSTNER CLASS SECTION
4?
>> I'LL START FROM THE
TECHNICAL AND MOVE TO THE
CONTENT.
THE TECHNICAL TUNES UP
THE AMENDMENT TO MORE CLOSELY
FOLLOW ALONG THE WAY IN WHICH WE
EXPECT CITY LIGHT TO PROPOSE A
NEW CUSTOMER CLASS.
SO THERE'S SOME WORDS HERE
THAT MAKE IT MORE ACCURATE TO
REFLECT
THE LEGISLATION
ACTUALLY HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED
FROM
CITY LIGHT.
A
LITTLE MORE CONTENT. SO EVERY
TWO YEARS ON A
REGULAR BASIS AS ESTABLISHED BY
RESOLUTION, THE CITY LIGHT
AND THE MAYOR PROPOSE NEW
RATES ORDINANCES THAT SETS UP
THE
RATES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
IT FOLLOWS
THE RESOURCE PLAN. LATER ON
THUGENDA TONIGHT
WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE IRP.
THAT'S A REGULAR
PUNCTUATED MOMENT.
EVERY TWO YEARS RATES
ARE
DISCUSSED. ONE NEW THING FOR
THIS
RATES ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE
COMING TO YOU ALL OVER THE
SUMMER WILL BE
TO DISCUSS A NEW RATE CLASS,
A NEW KIND OF CUSTOMER THAT
WOULD
BE ENACTED THROUGH
THAT LEGISLATION FOR DATA
CENTERS.
AND SO THIS IS JUST TO SAY IN
THIS RESOLUTION TO DEVELOP
POLICY, BY THE WAY, SECTION 3
THERE'S A MORATORIUM THE
SUBJECT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT
WAS
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, AND
THEN
IN SECTION 4 TO SAY IN YET
ANOTHER ORDINANCE THE CITY'S
GOING
TO TAKE UP A POTENTIAL CHANGE
TO THE CITY LIGHT CODE, THE
CODE THAT GOVERNS CITY LIGHT TO
ADD THIS CUSTOMER CLASS.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT KIND OF
ROUNDS IT OUT.
THAT'S MAYBE MORE WORDS THAN
YOU NEEDED, BUT THAT'S -- THIS
IS BASICALLY JUST TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT'S
UNDERWAY IN
THIS ASPECT OF THE CITY'S WORK.
YEAH.
>> SO THERE'S PARALLEL
EFFORTS ALREADY UNDERWAY BY
THE DEPARTMENT TO --
THAT CONTEMPLATE, ESSENTIALLY, A
NEW CUSTOMER CLASS?
AND SO THIS JUST ALIGNS WITH
THAT.
>> A CUSTOMER CLASS --
RESIDENTS ARE CUSTOMER CLASS.
CERTAIN SIZED BUSINESSES
THAT USE POWER OR A CERTAIN
AMOUNT ARE CUSTOMER CLASSES, SO
THIS WOULD BE A CUSTOMER CLASS
FOR DATA CENTERS AS A
PARTICULAR KIND OF NEW LARGE
LOAD CUSTOMER.
>> GOT IT.
>> IF I COULD ADD,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, HAVING BEEN
ON
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT SINCE 2016
FOR
EIGHT YEARS AND THEN BACK, WHEN
WE
LOOK AT RATES WE HAVE
TWO CLASSES -- RESIDENTIAL AND
BUSINESS, AND WE TRACK THEM.
AND OF COURSE BUSINESS PAYS MORE
BECAUSE THEY USE
MORE. AND WE WANTED TO KIND OF
PULL
OUT DATA CENTERS TO BE
MORE TAYLOR MADE FOR RATES
AND SHINING A LIGHT ON IT
BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT -- WE DON'T WANT
THIS CUSTOMER CLASS DATA
CENTERS,
WE WANT THEM TO PAY FOR
THEMSELVES WHEN THE WORK GROUP
GETS
TOGETHER. SO IT DOESN'T HURT
THE RESIDENTIAL AND THE
BUSINESS SIDE.
AND I THINK SPOTLIGHTING A
CUSTOMER
CLASS THAT'S A DATA CENTER IS
GOOD BUSINESS AND GOOD
GUV GOVERNANCE BECAUSE THEN WE
CAN TRACK AND PULL OUT CUSTOMER
AND RESIDENTIAL AND SAY THIS IS
THE DATA WE'RE LOOKING AT AND
THIS IS HOW MUCH ENERGY AND THIS
IS
HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS
BEING PUT ON THE GRID, AND THIS
IS WHAT
WE NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION
TO. REMEMBER WE HAVE A
MORATORIUM FOR ONE YEAR WHERE
THE WORKING
GROUP WILL ADDRESS ALL OF
THESE MORE TYPE OF TECHIE
ISSUES,
BUT WE WANTED TO PUT THE
PLACEHOLDER IN NOW IN THE
RESOLUTION,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT.
I SHOULD SAY WE DIDN'T
THINK THIS UP ON OUR OWN.
WE GOT THIS THROUGH
RESEARCH, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT
IT LATER,
IN MEETING WITH AND TALKING
WITH NOT JUST ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUPS AND TRIBES BUT OTHER
LAWYERS AND
GROUPS THAT HAVE OPPOSED
IN SUPPORTING DATA CENTERS
AND ANOTHER CUSTOMER CLASS.
THIS ISN'T NEW IN THE
INDUSTRY, BUT IT WOULD BE NEW TO
SEATTLE.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY, ERSNK.
>> I THINK THAT'S ACCURATE.
AND MAYBE TO STITCH IN A LITTLE
BIT MORE. THE CUSTOMER CLASSES
IN THE CODE
ARE SET UP SO EACH KIND OF
CUSTOMER, THE COSTS THEY INCUR
TO THE UTILITY ARE PAID FOR
BY THAT KIND OF CUSTOMER,
AND THAT'S A
PRINCIPLE THAT HAS TO BE SORT OF
ADHERED TO BY
THE
UTILITY. IN THIS CASE THE
CUSTOMER
CLASS AREN'T SPECIAL.
IT'S JUST A NEW KIND OF
CUSTOMER AND WE DON'T HAVE IN
OUR CODE
TO ADDRESS THOSE KIND OF SPECIAL
CONCERNS.
>>
RIGHT.
>> SO I'M SORT OF
REFLECTING BACK WHAT YOU SAID IN
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TERMS.
YEAH.
>> AND RESIDENTS ARE THE
SHAREHOLDERS BECAUSE WE OWN
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
>> IT IS A MUNICIPAL UTILITY,
THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> WE'RE THE NUMBER TWO
ECONOMIC
EMPLOYER. WE DON'T WANT
THOSE COSTS PASSED
ONTO CUSTOMERS. WE WANT DATA
CENTERS TO PAY FOR
IT THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU.
I HAVE TO GET A COPY OF MY OWN
RESOLUTION.
I HAD HAND WRITTEN WHAT I WROTE.
ANYTHING ELSE, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA?
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
>> NO, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR.
>> LET ME PUT THESE TWO DOWN
HERE. ALL RIGHT, SO ARE THERE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE
MOVE
ON AND I DO THE FIRST AMENDMENT?
I'M SORRY, GO ON,
ERIC.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I SEE
HIM UP
THERE.
>> I CANNOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE
SCREEN.
SORRY,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. GO
AHEAD.
>> YOU'RE
FINE, CHAIR. DO YOU WANT ME TO
ADDRESS MY
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO NOW
OR UNTIL WE
MOVE IT?
>> NO, NOT UNTIL WE MOVE IT.
AFTER WE MOVE, YOU CAN SPEAK,
AND THEN I'LL SPEAK, AND
THEN WE'LL VOTE, OKAY?
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
SO WITH THAT, I MOVE TO
AMEND RESOLUTION 32204 AS
PRESENTED
ON AMENDMENT 1.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
IT IS MOVED TO PRESENT
THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED
AS AMENDMENT
NUMBER 1. AGAIN, AS I SHARED
THIS AMENDMENT MAKES TWO
TECHNICAL
FIXES, UPDATES THE TITLE
TO MATCH
THOSE FIXES, CLARIFIES THE
LANGUAGE FROM SECTION 4 FROM
CONSULTATION WITH CITY LIGHT
AND ADDS A RECITAL INVOLVING
CUMULATIVE IMPACTS.
I'M GUESSING THERE ARE NO
OTHER QUESTIONS.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS
WILL THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL
ON THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT
NUMBER
ONE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>>
AYE.
>> THREE THREE
AYES.
>> I MOVE AMENDMENT TO VERSION
ONE TO RESOLUTION
32204.
>> IT IS SECOND.
IT HAS NOW BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO AMEND RESOLUTION
AS PRESENTED ON AMENDMENT NUMBER
2. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR
AMENDMENT?
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE
DONE, I WILL SPEAK.
AND I'LL SEE IF
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAS ANYTHING
TO ADD.
FLOOR IS YOURS, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAIR JUAREZ. I'LL SPEAK TO THE
AMENDMENT
AND THEN GIVE SOME GENERAL
COMMENTS
ABOUT WHAT I'VE SEEN
TODAY IN THIS MEETING AND
EARLIER.
THIS AMENDMENT SPECIFICALLY
REALLY DISCUSSES AND FOCUSES
ON THE FACT THAT DATA CENTERS
ARE
USING OUR WATER
WITHOUT PROPER
MANAGEMENT. THEY'RE HEATING OUR
AIR
UNNECESSARILY AND OUR
CLIMATE. THEY'RE USING
ELECTRICITY AS
A VERY HIGH RATE, WHICH THEN
ALSO HAS IMPACTS ON RIVER
FLOWS OR HOWEVER THAT
ELECTRICITY IS BEING GENERATED
THAT ALSO
HAS THE IMPACTS
ON RATES. EVERYTHING -- AND JUST
A
SHOUTOUT TO ALL THE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS TODAY.
I REMEMBER MEETING WITH YOU IN
OFFICE HOURS AS YOU WERE
GETTING SOAPBOX PROJECTS STARTED
UP.
I'LL GIVE YOU A SHOUTOUT,
CHAIR JUAREZ.
I DO OFFICE HOURS BECAUSE
OF WATCHING YOUR LEADERSHIP OF
YOU
HAVING OFFICE HOURS AND
A DISTRICT OFFICE IN D5.
AND SO JUST THE LEAD TO
LEAD SITUATION HERE WHERE YOU
GAVE
ME THAT NORTH STAR PRIORITY FOR
ME TO HAVE OFFICE HOURS.
YOU'RE OUT HERE AFTER
MEETING WITH ME SO MANY
YEARS AGO ADVOCATING FOR THE
VERY THINGS
THAT WE NEED BECAUSE IF WE ARE
NOT CAREFUL WITH DATA CENTERS,
EVEN JUST THE USE OF
ELECTRICITY ALL THE OTHER
EXTERINALITIES CONSTANT WITHOUT
STRONG REGULATION ABOUT HOW
THEY'RE USING ELECTRICITY, THE
IMPLICATIONS CASCADE EVERYWHERE.
AND SO THAT IS -- THAT IS THE
CRUX OF THIS AMENDMENT
BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT
THESE DOWN STREAM IMPACTS, ALL
THESE EXTERNALTIES, THE ONES WHO
SUFFER THE MOST ARE
OUR NATIVE
AMERICANS OR OUR NATIVE
COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OF OUR LAWS
ABOUT USUAL ACCUSTOMED AREAS AND
RIGHTS THEY'VE PRACTICED SINCE
TIME IMORRIAL EXCEPT FOR
THE LAST 200 YEARS.
SO THIS EMORIAM DOES TWO
THINGS.
IT DOES NOT JUST BRING
INTOINTO FOCUS IT'S NOT JUST
SEATTLEITES, NOT JUST
WASHINGTONIANS
BUT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
STEWARDED
THIS LAND SINCE TIME I
MMEMORIAL.
THE SECOND THING IT DOES
IMPORTANTLY IS CONTINUES OUR
WORK TO ENGAGE TRIBES AND
NATIVE-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN
OUR WORK.
AS CHAIRMAN JUAREZ MENTIONS, OUR
CITY IS NAMED AFTER A
NATIVE-AMERICAN CHIEF, YET, YOU
KNOW, FROM THE COAST SAILORS
PEOPLE, BUT WE USE A PICTURE OF
A PLAINS NATIVE-AMERICAN
AS OUR
SYMBOL. THIS IS VERY APPROPRIATE
AT BEST, AND WHEN WE DO THIS
WORK LIKE WE'RE DOING TODAY
WITHOUT
INCLUDING FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
TRIBES, URBAN AMERICANS
AND NATIVE-AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES, WE'RE CONTINUING
THE
DISRESPECTFUL NATURE OF
OUR GOVERNMENT CAN WORK.
THIS DOES
TWO THINGS. ONE, IT REALLY CALLS
OUT
THE DAWN STREAM IMPACTS THAT
ARE REQUIRED TO BE MITIGATED
BASED ON TREATY RIGHTS ECPLICIT
XPLICIT
AND
IMPLICIT. AND SECONDLY, IT
CONTINUES
OUR WORK AS A CITY TO CONTINUE
TO
DO BETTER AND TO GET BETTER AND
TO
TRULY HAVE MEANINGFUL
GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS WITH
OUR FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
AND OUR NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THAT'S WHAT
I'VE GOT
TODAY. I WILL SAY I BELIEVE YOU
ARE
THE ONLY ONE OF THE BOOMER
GENERATION ON THE CITY
COUNCIL, AND YOU ARE THE MOST
EXPERIENCED OUT OF ALL OF US IN
REGULATING A.I. AND DATA
CENTERS.
I'VE JUST BEEN GRATEFUL
AND IMPRESSED WITH HOW YOU HAVE
BEEN TRACKING
AND STAYING FOCUSED ON A.I. AND
EDUCATING ME QUITE A
BIT. I MIGHT BE YOUNGER THAN
YOU, BUT
I MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT
MORE OF A -- AND I WANTED TO
CALL
THAT OUT AND APPRECIATE THAT
YOU'VE BEEN A LEADER ON OUR
COUNCIL
IN THE A.I. REGULATION SPACE.
LASTLY, WANT TO CALL OUT
THE FACT WE'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS TODAY ABOUT MEGA-
BARS,
MEGA-AMPS, I APPRECIATED THE
PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT
MEGA-REGULATIONS.
>> THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.
>> THIS IS TRULY GEEK
LEVEL TALK.
CAN'T THANK Y'ALL
ENOUGH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
ERIC, I APOLOGIZE.
I KIND OF JUMPED THE GUN ON YOU.
USUALLY WE READ THE
POWERPOINT BEFORE I HAND IT OFF
TO
A
COUNCILMEMBER. WE
DIDN'T ACTUALLY -- YOU DIDN'T
ACTUALLY GO
THROUGH AMENDMENT TWO AND READ
THE RIGHTS OF --
RIGHT?
>> I THINK I COVERED
IT.
>> THROUGH THE WHOLE THING,
OKAY. I'M SORRY, I WAS BUSY
WRITING.
I WANT TODAY MAKE SURE I
DIDN'T SKIP
YOU.
>> HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S
BEEN DESCRIBED AND IT'S ALSO
PRESENT
ON THE
SLIDE.
>> I HAD SOME COMMENTS, BUT I
WANT TODAY SEE IF
THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY
OF
MY
OTHER COLLEAGUES.
OKAY. NOT SEEING THAT --
>> THE AMENDMENT OR THE --
>> ON THIS AMENDMENT.
AT THE END YOU CAN DO
COMMENTS ON THE BILL.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON
AMENDMENT 2?
OKAY.
I AM GOING TO READ THIS INTO THE
RECORD, AND I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR
ADDING THE AMENDMENT INCLUDING
THE RIGHTS OF FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED
TRIBES, WHICH ARE TREATY- BASED
OF COURSE, AND OUR
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND WE SHOULD ADD THAT
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS IN INDIGENOUS
LED COMMUNITIES ARE IN
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'
COMMITTEE ALONG WITH
THE INDIGENOUS ADVISORY COUNCIL,
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS --
ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS HAVE
COME FROM.
ANYWAY, THESE ARE THE
POINTS I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
GET ON THE
RECORD.
THERE ARE 29
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN
TRIBES
IN SUBSTANTIAL POPULATIONS OF
URBAN
INDIANS AND NATIVE COMMUNITIES
IN WASHINGTON STATE.
TREATIES BETWEEN THE U.S.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATIONS
ESTABLISH
THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
TRIBAL
NATIONS. IN WASHINGTON STATE
THESE TREATIES INCLUDE THE
TREATY OF POINT ELLIOT, THE
TREATY OF
1855, THE TREATO OF POINT NO
POINT, AMONG OTHERS.
MANY TREATIES ESTABLISH
THE RIGHTS OF TRIBES, THEIR
MEMBERS, AND OTHER NATIVE
AMERICANS
TO ASSESS WATERWAYS AND FISH IN
USUAL CUSTOM PLACES AND AREAS.
THESE TREATY RIGHTS ARE
ACTIVELY UTILIZE UNDER TRIBES
TODAY FOR
FOOD, CULTURAL
TRADITIONS, ECONOMIC RESOURCE
STEWARDSHIP.
THE 1989 CENTENNIAL
ACCORD ESTABLISHED THE RIGHT
TO GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT
RELGDSSHIP BETWEEN
SOVEREIGN TRIBES IN
WASHINGTON STATE. THE
RELATIONSHIP AND
REGULAR GATHERING ALLOWS
FOR DISCUSSION ON SOVEREIGNS
BETWEEN
WATERWAYS, HEALTH, ACCESS AND
RESOURCES.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF TRIBES IN
WASHINGTON STATE ARE ADJACENT
TO WATERWAYS AND TRIBUTARIES,
ELYING ON ACCESS TO WATER
RESOURCES AFFECTED BY
CONFLICTING USES.
AS WE JUST SAW A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO, THIS COMMITTEE AND OUR
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED
THE HYDRO SETTLEMENT ON
DAMS THAT HAVE BEEN PENDING
SINCE
THE LATE '90s.
WITH
THAT BEING SAID, IT'S BEEN READ
INTO
THE RECORD. ARE THERE ANY
FURTHER COMMENTS?
WITH NOT SEEING ANY, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT NUMBER
TWO?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>>
AYE.
>> THERE ARE THREE AYES.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
THAT BEING SAID, BEFORE WE CLOSE
HERE, ARE THERE ANY
OTHER COMMENTS ON THE RESOLUTION
AS
AMENDED?
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, THIS
WOULD BE IF THERE'S A CHANCE,
IF THERE
ARE ANY OTHER CLOSING COMMENTS
BEFORE I MAKE SOME FINAL
COMMENTS, CORRECT?
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
ADD?
>> SURE, YEAH.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
FIRST OFF, CHAIR, WOULD LOVE
TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT
ISSUE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE
HARDWORK THAT YOU AND YOUR
OFFICE HAVE
PUT INTO AND CREATING THIS
LEGISLATION BEFORE US AND ALSO
PARTNERING CLOSELY WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S OFFICE
AND THE PARALLEL BILL
RUNNING THROUGH HIS LAND USE
COMMITTEE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK.
THIS IS -- THE WORK WE'RE
DOING HERE TODAY COULD
POTENTIALLY HELP SHAPE THE
FUTURE OF
OUR ENVIRONMENT, OF OUR ECONOMY,
OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE
WITH TECHNOLOGY FOR DECADES TO
COME.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE
ON THIS.
AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO
THANK THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS WHO
HAVE
TAKEN THE TIME TO COME OUT AND
TESTIFY, MANY WHICH HAVE
STAYED OVER AT MULTIPLE
MEETINGS.
I HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO
GRAB SOME LUNCH IN BETWEEN
THE MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON.
AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT YOUR PERSPECTIVE MATTERS.
WE'RE ALL LISTENING
TO YOU. I'M LISTENING TO YOU.
MY OFFICE HAS
PERSONALLY RECEIVED
THOUSANDSTHOUSANDS
COMMS ABOUT THIS ONE SPECIFIC
TOPIC,
VARIOUS E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS,
ET
CETERA. I LOVE BEING A LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIAL BECAUSE I -- WE
HAVE WHAT'S CALLED GROCERY
STORE
ACCOUNTABILITY, SO WE'RE NOT
OFF
IN D.C. OR OLYMPIA.
WE LITERALLY LIVE IN
THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE
AND REPRESENT.
SO I'VE HAD PEOPLE PULL ME
ASIDE AT THE GROCERY STORE
TELLING
ME NO DATA CENTERS.
I'VE HAD FELLOW PARENTS ON THE
SIDELINES OF BASEBALL
GAMES WHISPER IN MY EAR, HEY, NO
DATA
CENTERS, ROB, ALL RIGHT?
SO PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY
CONCERNED ABOUT DATA CENTERS
AND THEIR IMPACT ON OUR
COMMUNITIES
LOCALLY. AND THESE CONCERNS ARE
NOT
JUST FROM A VOCAL FEW.
WHEN MOST SEATTLEITES FLIP ON
A LIGHT SWITCH, THEY
AREN'T THINKING ABOUT DATA
CENTERS.
THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT WHETHER
THEY CAN AFFORD THEIR UTILITY
BILL, KEEP THE HEAT ON, OR
KEEP THEIR SMALL BUSINESS
RUNNING AND
PROFITABLE.
MEAN WEAL, MEANWHILE, SOME OF
THE
LARGEST AND MOST PROFITABLE
COMPANIES
IN THE WORLD ARE INCREASINGLY
COMPETING FOR THAT
SAME ELECTRICITY TO POWER THESE
DATA
CENTERS.
AND THE UNDERLYING A.I.
INFRASTRUCTURE.
SIGNIFICANT CLIMATE IMPACTS
ARE BEING FELT BECAUSE OF THIS.
THERE'S SUBSTANTIAL STRAINS ON
THE GRID THAT'S ALREADY
STRETCHED PRETTY THIN.
ALL THIS INCREASES RISKS
OF PRICE HIKES FOR CONSUMERS,
AND IT'S WHY, AGAIN, AMONG
OTHER
REASONS PEOPLE
ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CONCERNED
ABOUT DATA CENTER EXPANSION.
NOW, I SUPPORT INNOVATION AND
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT.
SEATTLE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE
A PLACE WHERE INNOVATION
THRIVES AND TECH COMPANIES COME
TO
ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AND GROW.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE
EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO
RELIABLE,
AFFORDABLE, AND INCREASINGLY
CLEAN POWER SOURCES.
GROWTH SHOULD PAY ITS OWN WAY.
IF COMPANIES WANT TO
BUILD LARGE- SCALE DATA CENTERS
AND DRAW SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF ELECTRICITY FROM OUR
GRID, THEY
SHOULD, THEREFORE, BE HELPING
TO STRENGTHEN THAT GRID,
MODERNIZE
IT, INVEST IN IT, MAKE IT
CLEANER. SEATTLE RESIDENTS
SHOULD
NOT FACE HIGHER UTILITY
BILLS, REDUCED RELIABILITY,
OR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WHILE
THE BENEFITS OF THESE CENTERS
FLOW
ELSEWHERE.
THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT TAKING
A THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE
APPROACH, AND I THINK
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
THIS IS. BEFORE ALLOWING
SIGNIFICANT
EXPANSION, WE NEED A
CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE
IMPACTS
ON GRID RELIABILITY, UTILITY
RATES, WATER USE, PUBLIC HEALTH,
AND OUR CLIMATE GOALS.
WE ALSO NEED TO ENSURE
SEATTLE RESIDENTS SEE MEANINGFUL
PUBLIC
BENEFITS.
NOT SIMPLY INCREASE DEMAND
ON OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT'S ALREADY STRAINED
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR
ELECTRIC
GRID. ANY FUTURE
DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT SHOULD
PROTECT RATE
PAYERS, SAFEGUARD RELIABILITY,
ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY GOALS,
AND REQUIRE MAJOR ENERGY USERS
TO CONTRIBUTE TO
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
NECESSARY TO SUPPORT
THEIR GROWTH.
FINALLY, I WANT TO
NOTE THAT WORDS FROM
ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE MYSELF
MATTER.
WORDS, ACTIONS, AND
RHETORIC FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS
MATTER.
AND IT IMPACTS
COMMERCIAL DECISIONS OF OTHERS.
AND WHAT IS ALSO TRUE IS WORDS
FROM TECH EXECUTIVES MATTER
AS WELL.
WE'RE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE,
DECISION MAKERS AND PRIVATE
ORGANIZATIONS ARE LISTENING.
WHEN TECH EXECUTIVES
ARE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE WHETHER
AT
AN INTERNAL COMPANY ALL- HANDS
MEETING, TOWNHALL,
WHATEVER THEY'RE CALLED,
THEY'RE NOT
JUST SPEAKING TO THEIR
EMPLOYEES, NOT
JUST SPEAKING TO THEIR BUSINESS
PARTNERS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST SPEAKING
TO THEIR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATES AT
A
CONFERENCE. THEY'RE NOT JUST
SPEAKING
TO THEIR INVESTORS OR THEIR
SHAREHOLDERS.
WE'RE ALL LISTENING, TOO.
SO WORDS MATTER, AND THAT
RELATIONSHIP IS FULLY MUTUAL,
FULLY RECIPROCAL.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN I
HEAR OLD PREDICTIVE STATES
FROM TECH LEADERS LIKE SUCH AS
A.I.
WILL REPLACE ALL HUMANS,
RESULT IN THE SIGNIFICANT
CUTTING OF
ALL KINDS OF JOBS, AS A
LAWMAKER AND AS A REGULATOR
LOCALLY,
I GET
NERVOUS. I GET HEARTBURN ABOUT
THAT.
AND WHEN YOU LAYER ON THE KNOWN
DETRIMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, THE
IMPACTS ON OUR
CLIMATE, THE IMPACTS ON
AFFORDABILITY, THE POTENTIAL
IMPACTS ON STRAINING OUR GRID,
PASSING THOSE COSTS OFF
POTENTIALLY TO
CONSUMERS, THAT -- THAT HELPS ME
KNOW
MAYBE THIS INDUSTRY ISIS FOR
GREATER REGULATION.
AND SO WORDS MATTER.
I WAS ALSO PLEASED WHEN ONE OF
THE CEOs OF OPEN A.I. LAST WEEK
WALKED HIS STATEMENTS BACK, OH,
IT WASN'T AS BAD, I GUESS.
OKAY, ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALWAYS
GOING TO MAKE INTEREST --
DECISIONS IN THEIR BEST
INTERESTS, AND THAT'S TOTALLY
UNDERSTANDABLE.
I INTEND TO DO AS MUCH AS IT
WITH THEM AS POSSIBLE OR
INFORM
THEIR DECISION. WE'RE MAKING
DECISIONS
INFORMED BY OUR POLICY CHOICES
PAST,
PRESENT, AND FUTURE AND
THE DEMANDS THAT WE'RE HEARING
FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO AT IT'S CORE I THINK
THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS.
TO CLOSEOUT, AT ITS CORE I
THINK THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS.
IF THEY WANT TO TAP INTO
SEATTLE'S POWER GRID THEY
SHOULD HELP TO STRENGTHEN IT.
THAT'S A REASONABLE
EXPECTATION.
YOU CAN'T JUST OPEN CENTERS
HERE AND EXPECT PROFITS AND
BENEFITS
ACROSS WASHINGTON, THE SILICON
VALLEY, WHATEVER.
WE NEED A BETTER, MORE FAIR
ALLOCATION OF THE BENEFITS AND
BURDENS OF THIS -- OF THESE
BETA
CENTERS. SO, AGAIN,
REASONABLE EXPECTATION.
IT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS
RESOLUTION, AND, MADAM CHAIR,
I ASK TO BE LISTED AS A
CO-SPONSOR.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
MR. CLERK, AND CAN WE PLEASE ADD
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AS A
COSPONSOR TO THIS
RESOLUTION?
ALL RIGHT, IT IS OFFICIALLY
ADDED FOR THE RECORD. AND THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, AND THANK YOU FOR
AGREEING TO BE THE COSPONSOR.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE RECOMMENDATION
TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS
AMENDED?
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>>
CHAIR JUAREZ.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE THREE VOTES
IN FAVOR AND ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> RIGHT, THE
RESOLUTION
CARRIES. RESOLUTION 32004 WILL
BE SENT
TO THE JUNE 9, FULL
COUNCIL
MEETING. AND BEFORE WE MOVE ONTO
ITEM 2,
I HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO READ INTO
THE RECORD REGARDING THIS
RESOLUTION AND THE MORATORIUM
THAT
WAS PASSED
THIS MORNING. AND I BELIEVE
HOPEFULLY IT IS A
ROAD MAP TO WHERE WE'RE
HEADED ON A.I. AND ON DATA
CENTERS.
MEGA DATA CENTERS AND A.I.
ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT BRING
BOTH
INNOVATIONS AND UNKNOWN RISKS.
SEATTLE IS A TECH CITY.
THIS PAUSE TO STUDY IS A
PAUSE TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS
AND RESOURCES FROM
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF LARGE
DATA
CENTERS.
THE PASSING OF THIS RESOLUTION
AND THE MORATORIUM
FROM COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S LAND
USE COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS
MORNING IS THE FIRST STEPS IN
ENSURING PROTECTIONS ARE IN
PLACE.
WE ARE SETTING UP A
FRAMEWORK FOR MUCH MORE WORK TO
BE
DONE. WE ARE LEARNING MORE EVERY
WEEK ABOUT MEGA
DATA CENTERS AND A.I., BUILDING
OUR KNOWLEDGE.
WE HAVE ATTENDED EVENTS HOSTED
BY GEEK WIRE AND THE
NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM.
WE TRACKED NINE DATA CENTER A.I.
BILLS DURING THE
STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
ONLY ONE BILL -- SENATE BILL
5984 REGARDING A.I. CHAT
BOTS
WAS PASSED. OUR POLICY DIRECTOR,
PAUL, HAS BEEN ATTENDING THE
WASHINGTON
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S A.I. TASK
FORCE, WHICH WAS CREATED BY
GOVERNOR FERGUSON IN MARCH
OF 2024.
RECENTLY AT PUBLIC COMMENT
AND OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING
MAY 20th WE LEARNED FROM GROUPS
LIKE 350 SEATTLE, THE TROUBLE
MAKERS AND PEARL JAM GUY.
SINCE THAT MEETING
TWO WEEKS AGO ON MAY 27th IN OUR
OFFICE, THADDEUS GREGORY
FROM COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S
OFFICE, ERIC
FROM CENTRAL STAFF, ALSO
MET WITH US WHEN WE HAD A
MEETING WITH MEDIA JUSTICE.
THAT WAS WITH THE DATA
CENTER FELLOW, HEAD OF PROGRAMS,
AND
THE SENIOR RESEARCH SPECIALIST.
THESE ARE THE FOLKS AT MEDIA
JUSTICE. IF YOU GET A CHANCE,
GOOGLE
THEM. MEDIA
JUSTICE SHARE THEIR WORK THEY'RE
DOING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IN THIS AREA.
THERE ARE ALSO VITAL
TOOLS FOR THE WORK STOOD UP BY
THE
MORATORIUM AND
TODAY'S
RESOLUTION. ON MAY 25th, AND
YES, I'M
GOING TO QUOTE THE POPE.
WHERE'S KELLY?
MY CHIEF OF STAFF WANTED TO MAKE
SURE I READ THIS INTO
THE RECORD.
ON MAY 25th POPE LEO 14
th STATING A.I. MUST SERVE
HUMANITY AND NOT CONCENTRATE
POWER.
HE PUT FORTH THAT HUMANITY
SHOULD, QUOTE, REQUIRE THAT
THE USE OF GOODS OF CREATION AND
THE NEW POSSIBILITIES OFFERED
BY TECHNOLOGY BE REGULATED IN
SUCH
A WAY AS TO RESPECT THE
ENVIRONMENT, AVOID WASTE,
AND PREVENT NEW FORMS
OF EXPLOITATION.
IN OUR MEETING WITH MEDIA
JUSTICE, THEY SHARED A.I.
NOW POLICIES, INSTITUTES NORTH
STAR DATA CENTER TOOL KIT, WHICH
WILL
BE A VALUABLE GUIDE FOR THE
WORK THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT FOR
THE CITY WHILE INCORPORATING
SEATTLE SENSIBILITIES.
THE TOOLKIT RECOMMENDS ANY
MEGA DATA CENTER
PROJECT INCLUDES BUT NOT LIMIT
TODAY THE
FOLLOWING.
AN APPROVED WATER USAGE PLAN TO
PROTECT
WATER RESOURCES. AN APPROVED
ENERGY USAGE PLAN.
AN APPROVED NOISE MITIGATION
PLAN. A COMMITMENT TO ABIDE BY
ZONING
REGULATIONS.
A BINDING COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE
POST- APPROVAL
TRANSPARENCY
REQUIREMENTS. A BINDING
COMMITMENT TO ABIDE
BY JOB QUALITY STANDARDS AND
LOCAL
TARGETED HIRING FOR
CONSTRUCTION AND DATA CENTER
JOBS. A DISPLACEMENT IN HOLISTIC
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
REPORT CENTERING ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS
THOSE EMERGING FROM RED LINE AND
FENCE LINE COMMUNITIES
THAT ESTABLISHES THE DATA
CENTERS WILL NOT EXASPERATE THE
DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS
AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND IN CONCLUSION, IT CALLED
FOR BY FRONT LINE COMMUNITIES
A BINDING COMMITMENT TO ENFORCE
COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS.
WHILE WE CANNOT LOOK
TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
LEADERSHIP, WE CAN LOOK TO
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.
THE SEMINOLE NATION WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST TRIBAL COUNCILS TO
PASS A MORATORIUM ON A
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER IN MARCH
OF 2026.
THE SOUGHT SEATTLE TRIBE
OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS AND MANY
OTHERS HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT.
TRIBES UNDERSTAND THE
EXCAVATION MENTALITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION, AND WE KNOW IT
IS NOT NEW TO INDIAN COUNTRY.
CARLYLE SAID THIS IS THE STRESS
HOLD, THERE'S NO
TURNING BACK. ONCE WE'VE USED
UP AND
CONTAMINATED ALL OF OUR
WATER RESOURCES, THIS IS IT.
TODAY WE FOLLOW THE
EXAMPLE TRIBAL NATIONS
HAVE SET. WE STARTED ON THE PATH
TO
ENSURE WE PROTECT LAND AND WATER
USAGE, WHICH ARE FINITE
RESOURCES,
THE LOAD ON THE LECK ELECTRICAL
GRID, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOTH
LAND AND USE AND JOBS,
AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS SUCH
AS NOISE,
LIGHT, WATER, AND AIR POLLUTION.
AND THE RIGHTS OF
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES,
URBAN
INDIANS, AND NATIVE COMMUNITIES
TO EXERCISE ANY AND
ALL EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED TREATY
RIGHTS TO ACCESS AND FISH ON
ALL USUAL AND THE CUSTOM PLACES
AS
HAS OCCURRED SINCE TIME
IMMEMORIAL. OUR OFFICE AND THIS
CITY COUNCIL
IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING
THE
WORK. OUR OFFICE WILL BE
ATTENDING THE
LAW CONFERENCE, IF DIJINOUS
PER SPECTS ON A.I. ,
APPROPRIATION AND INNOVATION, A
CONFERENCE HOST WOULD THE
SEATTLE U
SCHOOL OF LAW -- SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF LAW.
I WANT TO SHOUTOUT TO A DEAR
FRIEND OF MINE AND FORMER
MENTEE, THE DIRECTOR FOR
THE NORTHWEST CENTER
ININDIGENOUS LAW AT SEATTLE U.
FOR CONVENING
THIS IMPORTANT EVENT.
WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN THEM
ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. WE'RE A CITY OF
TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS VITAL WE MORE
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT
OF
DATA CENTERS AND HOLD DATA
CENTER DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR
THEIR COST AND IMPACTS.
WE MUST ENSURE DATA
CENTERS AND COMPANIES DO NOT
PASS THE
COSTS AND LONG- TERM EFFECTS
ONTO OUR
RESIDENTS, OUR HEALTH, OUR
RESOURCES, OUR RIVERS, OUR
WATER
SHEDS. WITH THAT I WANT TO THANK
MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY VICE
CHAIR COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. IN
ADDITION I'D
LIKE TO THANK MY GREAT STAFF, MY
CHIEF CHIEF
OF STAFF KELLY BROWN, WHO'S OUT
THERE IN THE
AUDIENCE. OUR POLICY GUY WHO'S
ACTING
AS OUR CLERK TODAY.
SOPHIA WHO'S STILL
GETTING HER GRADUATE DEGREE AT
THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON -- WHAT
SCHOOL IS THAT AGAIN?
EVANSSCHOOL, WHO STARTED
WORKING ON THIS PROJECT IN THE
FALL
OF 2025, AND OF COURSE THE
CITY COUNCIL STAFF,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN
AND HIS STAFF, THADDEUS GREGORY,
AND OF COURSE WHO HAS
BEEN WORKING SHOULDER TO
SHOULDER WITH US COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH AND HER STAFF.
WE'VE NOT ONLY DONE THE
RESEARCH AND ATTENDED WEBINARS
AND TECH
EVENTS.
LIKE I SHARED BEFORE WE WENT
TO THE GEEK WIRE EVENT HOSTED BY
AMAZON. WE WERE MEETING WITH IT
LAWYERS,
TRIBAL LAWYERS,
ANALYSTS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS,
THE
MEDIA JUSTICE FOLKS.
WE HAVE REVIEWED COURT
FILINGS
AND PLEADINGS. WE ATTENDED
STATEWIDE
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
BASICALLY, WE'VE DONE AS
MUCH RESEARCH AS WE CAN.
WHY WE DID THIS IS BECAUSE WE
CARE.
WE KNOW THAT THESE CRITICAL
ISSUES GO BEYOND OUR JOB,
THEIR JOB, BEYOND OUR FRONT
DOOR, BEYOND OUR CITY, BEYOND
OUR
STATE, BEYOND OUR COUNTRY,
AND AS YOU'RE WITNESSING
NOW, GLOBALLY.
WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH
TECHNOLOGY, WE KNOW IT
TAKES SOME TIME FOR SOCIETY TO
CATCH
UP. AND WITH THAT WE AIM TO HOLD
--
WE AIM TO BUILD HIGH
SOCIETAL TRUST AS WE MOVE
FORWARD IN
THIS NEW ERA OF DATA CENTERS AND
A.I.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, MR. CLERK, WILL
YOU PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER 2
INTO
THE RECORD?
>> RESOLUTION 32206,
A RESOLUTION RELATED TO THE CITY
LIGHT DEPARTMENT
ACKNOWLEDGING AND APPROVING THE
2026
INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN.
THERE WILL BE BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
SO WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO
INVITE THE CITY LIGHT
PRESENTERS TO JOIN US AT THE
TABLE.
LET ME SEE WHAT I HAVE HERE.
I SHOULD NOTE WHICH HAS
BEEN POSTED THE INTEGRATED
RESOURCE
PLAN, THE SUMMARY AND
FISCAL NOTE, AND
THE INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO
LET YOU -- I UNDERSTAND THAT
WE -- WE'RE NOT TAKING A VOENT
THIS
TODAY, BUT WE'LL LET YOU DO
YOUR
PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, GO
AHEAD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
JUAREZ AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT
THE CITY
LIGHT 2026 INTEGRATED RESOURCE
PLAN, OR IRP.
MY NAME IS SIOBHAN DOHERTY, AND
I SERVE AS THE SEATTLE
CITY LIGHTS SUPPLY OFFICER.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY MEMBERS
OF OUR RESOURCE PLANNING
TEAM INCLUDING KATIE EWING,
MANAGER OF RESOURCE PLANNING
AND ANALYTICS AND REBECCA KLEIN,
DATA ANALYST IN
RESOURCE
PLANNING. THE INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN IS
CITY LIGHTS LONG- TERM
PLANNING DOCUMENT LOOKING AHEAD
20
YEARS TO
ENSURE WE CAN MEET FUTURE
ELECTRICITY NEEDS ELIABLY,
AFFORDABILITY, AND SUSTAINABLY.
THE 2026 IRP IS A FULL
UPDATE AND REFLECTS LOAD GROWTH
AND
EVOLVING CUSTOMER DEMAND.
THE PLAN
WAS INFORMED WITH
ENGAGEMENT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND
COMMUNITY AND IS ALIGNED
WITH THE CITY'S CLIMATE AND
EQUITY GOALS.
IN CLOSING THE IRP OUTLINES
THE CITY APPROACH TO LONG- TERM
PLANNING AND RELIABLE SERVICE.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO KATIE EWING TO WALK OVER
THE
PLAN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, SIOBHAN.
CAN YOU GUYS
HEAR ME?
GREAT. OKAY, SO SIOBHAN
INTRODUCED THE
TEAM, SO I WILL SKIP THAT PART.
SO THE REST OF OUR TEAM
IS IN THE AUDIENCE, SO
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO OUR
AGENDA. WE ARE GOING TO START
WITH BACKGROUND AND KEY TAKE-
AWAYS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY
OUTREACH WE DID FOR THE 2026
IRP.
WE'LL MOVE THEN INTO
MODEL INPUTS AND THEN OUR
RESULTS
AND OUR CALL TO
ACTION. SO INTEGRATED RESOURCE
PLAN
REQUIREMENTS.
THE INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN
PROVIDES A 20- YEAR
OUTLOOK CONSIDERING MANY
PLAUSIBLE FUTURES AND SETS
RELIABILITY
STANDARDS TO HELP GUIDE CITY
LIGHTS RESOURCE ACQUISITION
TO ENSURE RELIABLE LOAD SERVICE.
EVERY TWO YEARS CITY
LIGHTS PRODUCES A 20-YEAR PLAN
THAT
IS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL
AND FILED BY WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE BY SEPTEMBER 1st.
IT IS AN EVALUATION OF CUSTOMER
POWER NEEDS OR LOAD AND
POWER SUPPLY RESOURCE NEEDS.
FOR THIS EVALUATION STUDY
WE USED 900 WEATHER VARIATIONS
TO SIMULATE HOURLY VALUES FOR
THE 20- YEAR STUDY PERIOD.
THE 20 YEARS OF FUTURE
SIMULATED HOURLY LOADS ARE
COMPARED TO
20 YEARS OF FUTURE SIMULATED
HOURLY GENERATION FROM CITY
LOAD RESOURCE PORT FOLIO TO
CHECK
WHETHER CITY LIGHTS RESOURCE
PORTFOLIO CAN PRODUCE POWER
GREATER OR EQUAL TO THE
POWER NEED BY CITY LIGHTS
CUSTOMERS.
LAW WHICH REQUIRES ALL
ELECTRIC UTILITIES WITH MORE
THAN
25,000 CUSTOMERS DEVELOP
A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE
PLAN EVERY TWO YEARS THAT
IDENTIFIES
STRATEGIES TO MEET CUSTOMERS
ELECTRICITY NEEDS IN THE SHORT
AND THE
LONG-TERM. EVERY IRP ACROSS ALL
THE
UTILITIES IS APPROVED BY THEIR
GOVERNING BOARD AND FILED
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
BY SEPTEMBER 1st.
SO WHILE THIS IS A REGULATORY
REQUIREMENT, WE WOULD DO
IT ANYWAYS AS A PART OF
GOOD PRACTICE AND PLANNING TO
ENSURE WE'VE PROVIDED THE
SERVICE WE
PROVIDE.
SO WHAT IS
THE PROCESS TO BUILD AN IRP?
IT STARTS OFF AS AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR CUSTOMERS AND
STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE THEIR
VISION OF
OUR FUTURE POWER SUPPLY IN ORDER
TO PLAN A RELIABLE FUTURE.
IT'S A STUDY OF OPTIONS FOR
MEETING ELECTRICITY NEEDS OF
CUSTOMERS TO FIND SOLUTIONS
THAT BALANCE PRIORITIES.
THE GOAL OF THE ANALYSIS IS
TO ENSURE WE HAVE ENOUGH
RESOURCES
TO MEET CUSTOMER
ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY NEEDS
ELIABLY AT THE LOWEST
COST POSSIBLE AND IN COMPLIANCE
WITH
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND
CARBON
REDUCTION TARGETS. WE ANALYZE
THE FUTURE UNDER
A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS.
THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY WE USE
DAY TO DAY CAN VARY DEPENDING ON
TEMPERATURES. SO WHEN IT'S COLD
OUTSIDE,
WE MIGHT USE MORE POWER THAN
WHEN WE ARE EXPERIENCING
MILDER TEMPERATURES LIKE TODAY.
WE CURRENTLY RELY ON
HIDROE POWER AS A MAJORITY OF
OUR
GENERATION. SO WHEN WE HAVE
MORE PRECIPITATION WE CAN
GENERATE MORE POWER.
BUT WHEN WE EXPERIENCE DROUGHT
CONDITIONS, WE GENERATE
LESS POWER.
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE WE
ARE EXPERIENCING MORE VOLATILE
AND EXTREME CONDITIONS.
WE ALSO DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
HOW CUSTOMERS WILL USE
LICKTRICITY OR THE COST OF
ACQUIRING
NEW RESOURCES, SO THIS IS NOT A
FORECAST. WE ARE REACTING TO
A CHANGE OF LAND GROWTH,
INCREASING
ELECTRIFICATION, AND NEW
A EVOLVING LOAD RESOURCES.
WHEN WE DO OUR ANALYSIS, WE
LOOK AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
FUTURES.
AS I SAID, WE RUN 900
VARIATIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND
PRECIPITATION TO FIND A
PORTFOLIO OF
RESOURCES THAT ENSURES WE CAN
RELIABLY MEET CUSTOMERS' NEEDS.
THIS 20-YEAR FORECAST GIVES
US A MENU OFOF FUTURES.
IT IS NOT AN ACQUISITION PLAN.
THIS IS A LONG- TERM OUTLOOK
TO INFORM OUR INTERNAL PLAY BOOK
FOR RESOURCE TRANSITION.
FINALLY AND IMPORTANTLY,
THE TIME LINE FOR COMPLETING
THESE STEPS IS LONG, AND WE ARE
IN
A PARTICULAR VOLATILE
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.
FOR THIS ANALYSIS WE SET THE
ASSUMPTIONS AT THE END OF 2024.
AND WE HAVE SEEN
DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE ENERGY
INDUSTRY
OVER THE PAST YEAR.
THE CURRENT
PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION
REPEALED TAX
CREDITS FOR MANY
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES,
WHICH WILL
INCREASE THE COSTS TO
ACQUIRE THESE RESOURCES.
THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION
ALSO REPEALED TAX CREDITS
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
AFFECTING DEMAND FOR
EVs. THE PICTURE OF
MARKET AVAILABILITY IN THE
NORTHWEST HAS RADICALLY SHIFTED
WITH MULTIPLE STUDIES
IDENTIFYING THE
POSSIBILITY OF RESOURCE
SHORTAGES ACROSS THE
REGION DURING SEVERE WEATHER.
AND THERE HAS BEEN FURTHER
AND ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT OF
CLEAN, FIRM, RESOURCES SUCH
AS ENHANCED
GEOTHERMAL. THIS IS ONE OF THE
REASONS WE
REFRESH OUR ANALYSIS EVERY
TWO YEARS.
AND WE'LL BE DOING A DEEP DIVE
IN THE NEXT IRP TO CAPTURE
THE CHANGES AS WELL AS THE
INCREASING VOLATILITY WE ARE
SEEING ACROSS THE INDUSTRY.
>> OKAY, I'M GOING TO NOW DO A
PREVIEW OF IRP.
THAT SUSTAINED LOAD GROWTH
WITH INTER PEAKS HAS
INCREASED WEATHER VOLATILITY,
REQUIRING
INCREASED RESOURCES INCLUDING
TRANSMISSION TO BRING POWER FROM
WHERE IT IS GENERATED
TO
SEATTLE. THE RESOURCES THAT ARE
NON- EMITTING AND
READILY AVAILABLE ARE
INTERMITTENT RESOURCES SUCH AS
WIND
AND
SOLAR. THESE TYPES OF RESOURCES
ARE
WEATHER-DEPENDENT, SO THEY
RELY ON THE SUN SHINING AND THE
WIND
BLOWING, WHICH HAS MADE
US INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN
CLEAN, FIRM TECHNOLOGY
ENERGY SOLUTIONS LIKE
ENHANCED GEOTHERMAL
THAT WOULD BE CRITICAL AS PART
OF CITY
LIGHTS FUTURE RESOURCE
PORTFOLIO.
WE WILL BE DOING A
DEEPER DIVE ON THESE RESOURCES
IN
THE NEXT IRP.
SO AS I SAID BEFORE,
AN INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN IS
AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR CUSTOMER
AND STAKEHOLDERS TO SHARE
THEIR VISION FOR OUR FUTURE OF
POWER
SUPPLY. PART OF THE WAY WE
ACHIEVE THIS
IS BY ENGAGING WITH AN
ADVISORY PANEL FOR THAT INSIGHT.
THE IRP ADVISORY PANEL IS
A GROUP OF 12 ADVISERS
THAT PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN.
THE PANEL IS COMPOSED
OF INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING
CUSTOMERS, ENVIRONMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS, REGIONAL
ENERGY- RELATED
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
ACADEMICS.
THERE WERE FIVE MEETINGS
WITH THIS ADVISORY PANEL FOR
THIS
IRP.
ANOTHER WAY WE
CONNECT INFORMATION IS OUTREACH.
THE CLEAN INFORMATION ACT OR
CEDA HAS CLEAR LANGUAGE AS
WE TRANSITION TO 100% EMITABLE
NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES, WE
ARE MAKING SURE WE'RE
NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY
BURNING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
BEEN
HISTORICALLY HARMED.
BEYOND THIS REQUIREMENT WE
WANTED TO MAKE SURE
WE MEANINGFUL ENGAGE OUR
CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR INPUT IN OUR
PLANS
AND PRIORITIES AND WORK
TOWARDS LONG-LASTING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OUR CUSTOMERS. WE APPROACH THIS
WORK
VERY INTENTIONALLY THROUGH
AN INTEGRATED
APPROACH, WHERE WE COORDINATED
ACROSS
SEVERAL UTILITY- WIDE PLANS TO
AVOID
OVERTAXING THE BURDENS WE WERE
TRYING
TO
REDUCE. AS SUCH WE COMBINED OUR
OUTREACH AS MUCH AS A TYPE OF
OUTREACH WAS ALIGNED.
OUTREACH BEGAN BY
FIRST EVALUATING EXISTING
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORTS AND
THEN
INITIATING OUTREACH THROUGH 12
COMMUNITY EVENTS.
RELIABILITY
CAME THROUGH AS CUSTOMERS TOP
PRIORITY WITH
AFFORDABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
ALSO BEING
VERY IMPORTANT. NOW I'M GOING
TO HAND IT
TO REBECCA WHO WILL BEGIN
TALKING ABOUT OUR STUDY
INPUTS.
>> THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE
IRP IS TO IDENTIFY A PORTFOLIO
OF
RESOURCES THAT WILL
ALLOW CITY LIGHT TO CONTINUE
ELIABLY SERVING OUR LOAD FROM
NOW OUT
TO 20 YEARS IN THE FUTURE AT
THE MOST COST- EFFECTIVE
PRICE POSSIBLE.
BEFORE WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT NEW
RESOURCES ARE NEEDED, WE FIRST
HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT IS ALREADY
IN CITY
LIGHTS PORTFOLIO. THIS GRAPHIC
IS A MAP OF THE
NORTHWEST AND HIGHLIGHTS OUR
EXISTING RESOURCE PORTFOLIO.
OUR
OWN HYDRO-POWERED RESOURCES ARE
MARKED BY THE BLUE DOTS.
IN PARTICULAR THE
BOUNDARY DAM IS UP IN THE NORTH
EAST
CORNER OF WASHINGTON STATE.
THE ORANGE DOT SHOWS OUR TREATY
RIGHTS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA.
THE BLACK DOTS INDICATE
OUR LONG-TERM HIDROCONTRACTS,
AND THE YELLOW DOTS DEMARK OUR
OR
LONG- TERM CONTRACTS,
IN PARTICULAR WIND IN THE GEORGE
AREA OF NORTHERN.
ABOUT HALF OF THAT IS SUPPLIED
BY OUR BOUNDARY HYDRO PROJECTS.
IN ADDITION TO HYDRO POWER ABOUT
8% OF CITY LIGHTS MIXES WIND AND
ABOUT
5% COMES FROM PURCHASES IN THE
WEST'S
WHOLESALE ENERGY MARKET.
SINCE AROUND 40 TO
45% OF CITY LIGHTS POWER SUPPLY
IS
PROVIDED THROUGH A LONG- TERM
CONTRACT
WITH THE BONNIVILLE POWER
ADMINISTRATION OR BPA, WE WANTED
TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE
BIT MORE.
THIS MAP SHOWS
BPA SERVICE TERRITORY AND THE
31- DAM FEDERAL
HYDRO
POWERED NETWORK. LAYERED ON TOP
ARE THE
SEATTLE LIGHTS RESOURCES FROM
THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE AND OUR OWN
HIDROPLANTS IN NAVY BLUE.
BPA SERVICE TERRITORY INCLUDES
30,000 SQUARE MILES
CONSISTING OF WASHINGTON,
OREGON,
IDAHO, WESTERN MONTANA, AND
SMALL PORTIONS OF OF CALIFORNIA,
NEVADA, UTAH,
AND WYOMING. THE DAMS ARE OWNED
AND OPERATED
BY THE U.S. ARMY CORP
OF ENGINEERS OR THE U.S. BUREAU
OF
RECLAMATION.
OF NOTE, BPA OWNS 75% OF
PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRANSMISSION
INCLUDING 90% OF THE
TRANSMISSION CITY LIGHT USES TO
MEET LOAD.
THE STATUTES THAT CREATED
BPA
MANDATE IT SELL POWER AT COST,
WHICH IS A MUCH LOWER COST
POWER SOURCE
THAN ALTERNATIVES. SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT BUYS POWER
THROUGH BPA THROUGH LIGHT
CONTRACT AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT TO SERVING LOAD.
SPEAKING OF LOAD, ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT INPUTS INTO
THE IRP IS THE
LOAD FORECAST, WHICH IS HOW MUCH
ELECTRICITY
WE EXPECT OUR CUSTOMERS TO USE
IN
THE FUTURE.
THE LOAD FORECAST HELPS TELL
US HOW
MUCH NEW RESOURCE GENERATION
WE'LL NEED AND
WHEN IN ORDER TO CONTINUE
ELIABLY SERVING
OUR CUSTOMERS LOADS.
AS A NOTE, WHEN WE REFER TO
MEGAWATTS, THAT IS A UNIT OF
POWER. ONE MEGAWATT CAN POWER
1,100
SINGLE
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN SEATTLE.
ON THE GRAPHIC THE
HORIZONTAL AXIS SHOWS TIME IN
YEARS.
AND THE VERTICAL AXIS IS
AVERAGE LOAD IN MEGAWATTS OR
PEAK
LOAD IN
MEGAWATTS. THE SOLID LINES ON IT
LEFT
ARE HISTORICAL
ACTUAL LOADS. AND THE DOTTED
LINES
ON THE RIGHT ARE THE FORECASTED
LOAD
IN THE 2026 IRP.
ON THE BOTTOM IS ANNUAL
AVERAGE LOAD AND AVERAGE
MEGAWATTS.
OUR HISTORIC LOAD WAS RELATIVELY
FLAT DUE TO
AGGRESSIVE EFFICIENCY EFFORTS
EVEN
WITH UNDERLYING LOAD GROWTH IN
OUR
AREA. THE UPPER LINE SHOWS THE
PEAK
LOAD IN MEGAWATTS.
PEAK LOAD IS THE MEGAWATT FROM
THE SINGLE HOUR WITH THE
HIGHEST LOAD FOR THAT ENTIRE
YEAR.
WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE PEAK
LOAD INCREASING.
IN DECEMBER 2022 WE REACHED
THE HIGHEST PEAK LOAD WE HAD
SEEN ININ
AT
LEAST 30 YEARS, AND THEN WE BEAT
THAT PEAK IN JANUARY
2024 BY OVER 100 MEGAWATTS.
OUR FORECAST OF LOADS SHOW
A STEADY INCREASE WITH
PEAKS INCREASING FASTER THAN
AVERAGE LOAD.
THE ARROWS ON THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE GRAPH INDICATES SOME OF
THE
MAIN DRIVERS AFFECTING OUR LOAD.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
ELECTRIFICATION ARE DRIVING
ININCREASES IN ELECTRICITY
USE, WHILE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND
ROOFTOP SOLAR CAN
HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE
INCREASES.
IN THE APPENDIX OF
THIS PRESENTATION WE HAVE TWO
SLIDES
COMPARING THE LOAD FORECAST USED
IN THIS
2026 IRP TO PREVIOUS LOAD
FORECASTS, FOR
YOUR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
IF YOU WOULD
LIKE IT. WITH THESE GROWING
AVERAGE LOADS
SQUEVEN FASTER GROWING PEAK
LOADS, WE WILL
CERTAINLY NEED NEW RESOURCES TO
HELP MEET
OUR LOADS IN THE COMING YEARS.
DUE TO THIS GROWING LOAD,
THE IRP RESULTS INDICATE A
NEED FOR NEW GENERATING
RESOURCES.
OUR KEY MODELLED STUDY YEARS
ARE ON THE HORIZONTAL ACCESS.
AND ALONG THE VERTICAL
ACCESS THE GENERATION AND
AVERAGE
MEGAWATTS OF THE
PORTFOLIO CREATED BY OUR IRP
MODEL ON
TOP OF THE STACKED LOADS.
ON TOP OF THAT ARE THE AVERAGE
MEGAWATTS SHOWN AS THE
SOLID BLACK LINE, THE FORECASTED
PEAK LOAD OR MEGAWATTS SHOWN AS
THE DASHED BLACK LINE.
THE BARS REPRESENTING THE ANNUAL
GENERATION BREAK OUT THE ANNUAL
CONTRABUTIONS FROM DIFFERENT
RESOURCE TYPES. ON THE BOTTOM IN
GREEN IS
THE CONTRACT WE GET FROM OUR
BONNIVILLE ADMINISTRATION
OR BPA.
IN DARK BLUE IS HYDRO POWER AND
THE LIGHT BLUE IS OTHER
EXISTING RESOURCES LIKE SOME
LIGHT CONTRACTS WE HAVE IN
THE COUNTY. THE REMAINING COLOR
SHOWS WHAT
WE WILL NEED TO MEET
RESOURCE
LOAD. THE ORANGE SHOWS NEW WIND
GENERATION, THE YELLOW
SHOWS GENERATION FOR NEW
SOLAR AND SHORT DURATION
BATTERIES.
AT THE TOP IS THE NEW FIRM
ENERGY YOURS IN
RED, WHICH I'LL GET BACK TO IN
A MINUTE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE
ANNUALANNUAL
AVERAGE GENERATION IS
FAR GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE
ANNUAL
LOAD, BUT BELOW
OUR PROJECTED PEAK
LOAD. THIS IS BECAUSE THE
GENERATION RESOURCES NEED TO
RELIABLY MEET PEAK LOAD ON
ANAN BASIS EVEN DURING EXTREME
EVENTS.
THAT MEANS DURING NONEXTREME
WEATHER, WHICH IS MOST OF THE
TIME, THERE IS EXTRA GENERATION
AFTER WE'VE MET OUR OWN LOAD.
THAT EXTRA GENERATION IS
NORMALLY SOLD IN THE
GENERATION MARKET.
THIS PORTFOLIO CAN MEET
PEAKS
THROUGH FLEXING OUR OWN DEMAND
RESOURCES SUCH AS HUR OWN
HIDROPLANTS AND DEMAND
RESOURCE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS
SOME
LIMITED ACCESS TO THE MARKET.
OUR NEED FOR NEW
RESOURCES ESPECIALLY FIRM ENERGY
IS HEAVILY DRIVEN BY
SUSTAINED PEAKS, MOSTLY IN THE
WINTER.
FOR THE PRIMARY IRP ANALYSIS,
WE LIMITED SUPPLY
RESOURCES TO WIND, SOLAR, AND
SHORT DURATION
BATTERIES. THESE TYPES OF
RESOURCES ARE WEATHER DEPENDENT,
AND THERE'S
A RISK OF
THESE RESOURCES NOT BEING
AVAILABLE WHEN WE
NEED THEM AND IMPACTING OUR
ABILITY TO RELIABLY MEET
CUSTOMER NEEDS.
GENERIC FIRM ENERGY WAS LAYERED
ON TOP TO MAKE SURE OUR
PORTFOLIO CAN RELIABLY MEET
LOADS.
IN THE REAL WORLD FIRM ENERGY
AS MODELLED IN THIS IRP
CAN REPRESENT THINGS SUCH AS
BASE LOAD RESOURCES LIKE SMALL,
MODULAR NUKE, REACTORS AND
ENHANCED GEOTHERMALS,
PEAKERS LIKE GENE HYDROGEN
PEAKER
PLANTS, AND SHORT- TERM
CONTRACTS
WITH FIRM ENERGY PROVISIONS
THAT CAN BE RENEGOTIATED BY OUR
POWER
CONTRACTS TEAM. IN A SEPARATE
ANALYSIS WE
EVALUATED OTHER FIRM
CLEAN RESOURCES SUCH AS ENHANCED
GEOTHERMTLE AND MODULAR
REACTIVE TECHNOLOGY MORE IN-
DEPTH, AS WELL AS ON DEMAND
RESOURCES,
SPECIFICALLY LONG DURATION
STORAGE AND RENEWABLE PEAKERS.
THESE RESOURCES
SHOWED SIGNIFICANT VALUE AND
WILL
HELP MEET FUTURE LONG DURATION
EVENTS
THAT ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT.
WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN THE OPERATING
ENVIRONMENT OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS INCLUDING IN POLICY,
AVAILABILITY, AND DEVELOPMENT
OF FIRM RESOURCES, LOAD GROWTH,
AND REGIONAL ENERGY NEEDS.
DUE TO TIMING, THESE CHANGES
WERE NOT INCORPORATED INTO
THIS ANALYSIS.
THIS IS PART OF THE REASON
WHY WE REFRESH THE IRP EVERY
TWO YEARS.
FOR THE 2028 IRP WE WILL DO
A DEEPER ANALYSIS ON FIRM
RESOURCE AND THE CRITICAL ROLE
THEY WILL
PLAY IN OUR PORTFOLIO IN THE
FUTURE.
NOW, I'LL HAND IT OFF TO
VERENE TO TALK ABOUT THIS HOW WE
WILL
GET THIS
TO SEATTLE.
>> THANKS. IT ALSO SHOWS A
CRITICAL
NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION
CAPACITY TO BRING NEW AND
EXISTING GENERATION BACK
TO
SEATTLE TO SERVE OUR LOAD.
TRANSITION IS A SYSTEM
OF HIGH- VOLTAGE WIRES THAT
MOVES ELECTRICITY AROUND THE
REGION FROM GENERATION RESOURCES
TO
ELECTRIC LOADS.
SIMILAR TO A FEW SLIDES BACK,
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A MAP
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND
SHOWS
BP'S SERVICE AREA SHOWING MOST
OF THE
MAP.
BPA'S DAMS ARE SHOWN AS
BLACK HALF CIRCLES, AND
BPA'S TRANSMISSION NETWORK IS
SHOWN AS
DARK
GREEN LINES. THE PURPLE DOTTED
LINES ARE
NON- BPA TRANSITION LINES.
BPA OPERATES 15,000 MILES
OF HIGH- VOLTAGE
ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION.
AND AS NOTED EARLIER, THAT
REPRESENTS 75% OF THE
TOTAL TRANSMISSION IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND INCLUDES
90% OF
THE TRANSITION SEATTLE CITY
USES TO MEET LOAD.
COUNTING THE TRANSITION NEEDED
TO MOVE POWER GENERATION AT
BOUNDARY, ONE OF THE CITY LIGHTS
OWNED LARGE
HYDRO PROJECTS. SO BPA'S SYSTEM
IS CRITICAL
TO SERVE OUR ELECTRIC LOADS.
SEATTLE'S OWN TRANSMISSION
LINES AND LONG- TERM
TRANSMISSION CONTRACTS ARE
CURRENTLY SUFFICIENT TO SERVE
OUR LOAD,
BUT AS DEMAND GROWS, OUR
IRP RESULTS ALSO IDENTIFIED THE
NEED
FOR NEW TRANSMISSION CAPACITY IN
ORDER TO DELIVER GENERATION FROM
BOTH NEW AND EXISTING
RESOURCES TO RELIABLY SERVE OUR
CUSTOMER'S
ELECTRIC LOAD. HOWEVER,
TRANSMISSION IS VERYVERY
DIFFICULT TO BUILD.
AND TRANSMISSION PROJECTS TAKE
A VERY LONG TIME TO COMPLETE.
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,
WE HAVE SEEN TRANSITION
PROJECTS TAKE 15 TO 20 YEARS TO
BUILD FROM START TO FINISH.
TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS, THE
IRP MODEL DID NOT ALLOW
TRANSMISSION
ACONDITIONS TO SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT SYSTEM UNTIL 2035.
BUT STARTING IN
2035 AS SOON AS IT WAS ALLOWED,
THE MODEL
IDENTIFIED NEEDED
TRANSITION ADDITIONS ALONG THREE
DIFFERENT
PATHS, WHICH ARE REPRESENTED
BY THE BLUE ARROWS OVERLAID ON
THIS MAP.
THE WIDTH OF THE ARROWS
ROUGHLY CORRESPONDS TO THE
RELATIVE MAGNITUDE OF THE NEEDED
TRANSITION ADDITIONS.
FIRST TRANSMISSION FROM
MONTANA TO CENTRAL WASHINGTON IS
THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF
TRANSMISSION
NEED WE IDENTIFIED AT AN
AVERAGE OF 56 MEGAWATTS OF
ADDITIONAL TRANSITION CAPACITY
FROM 2035 TO
2045. THIS IS SHOWN BY THE
THINNEST BLUE ARROW GOING FROM
EAST TO
WEST AT THE TOP OF THE MAP.
THE
NEXT LARGEST NEED THE IRP
IDENTIFIED WAS FOR AN AVERAGE
OF 91 MEGAWATTS
OF NEW TRANSITION CAPACITY
CONNECTING OREGON TO
SEATTLE, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY
THE MEDIUM BLUE ARROW GOING
FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.
AND LONGEST NEED WE FOUND
WAS ALONG A PATH CONNECTING
IDAHO TO OREGON REPRESENTED BY
THE THICKEST BLUE ARROW GOING
FROM EAST TO WEST NEAR THE
BOTTOM
OF THE MAP.
THE IRP SHOWED WE NEEDED
AN AVERAGE OF 230 MEG WATTS OF
ADDITIONAL TRANSITION
CAPACITY FROM IDAHO TO OREGON.
AND AS YOU'LL NOTICE FROM THE
MAP, THERE'S CURRENTLY
NO TRANSMISSION ON BPA'S
SYSTEM CONNECTING IDAHO DIRECTLY
TO OREGON.
NOW, I WANT TO ZOOM OUT A
LITTLE BIT TO PROVIDE SOME
LARGER
CONTEXT AROUND
THESE RESULTS.
THE ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION
NEEDS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE
ARE JUST WHAT SEATTLE NEEDS
TO GET GENERATED ELECTRICITY
BACK
TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
OTHER UTILITIES ARE VYING FOR
THAT SAME TRANSMISSION CAPACITY,
AS THEY'RE SEEING THEIR LOADS
GROW LIKE WE ARE. FOR EXAMPLE,
EAST TO
WEST TRANSMISSION FROM IDAHO TO
OREGON, THE PATH OF OUR LARGEST
NEED, IS GOING TO
BE PARTICULARLY VALUABLE
TO PORTLAND AS WELL.
COMPETING NEEDS FROM OTHERS
IN THE REGION ADDS FURTHER
STRAIN TO OUR REGIONAL
TRANSITION SYSTEM, MAKING IT
EVEN
MORE URGENT FOR SEATTLE TO
PROCURE
THE TRANSITION THAT WE NEED TO
RELIABLY SERVE OUR LOAD.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE
NEW SUPPLY SIDE RESOURCE
ADDITIONS IDENTIFIED BY THE IRP
THAT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT WOULD
REQUIRE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO
MEET OUR
LOAD RELIABLY FROM
NOW OUT THROUGH THE NEXT 20
YEARS, IF WE WERE TO RELY ON
ONLY NEW
WIND, SOLAR PV, AND SHORT
DURATION BATTERY RESOURCES.
THE TOTALS ARE SPLIT UP WITH
THE RESOURCE NEEDS WITHIN THE
FIRST
TEN YEARS OF THE IRP STUDY IN
THE LEFT COLUMN, AND
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE NEEDS IN THE
SECOND TEN
YEARS OF THE IRP STUDY IN
THE SECOND OR
MIDDLE COLUMN. AND FINALLY THE
GRAND TOTALS FOR
EACH RESOURCE TYPE ARE IN
THE COLUMN ON
THE RIGHT. THE BOTTOM LINE IN
THE TABLE
SHOWS THE TOTAL SUPPLY SIDE
GENERATION RESOURCES NEEDED
FOR EACH PERIOD, SO YOU CAN SEE
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE IN
THE FIRST COLUMN THE TOTAL
NEW SUPPLY SIDE RESOURCES NEEDED
JUST WITHIN THE NEXT TEN
YEARS COMES TO 1,711
MEGAWATTS. THESE NUMBERS
INDICATE THE NEED
TO ADD MANY
TIMES MORE WIND FARMS, SOLAR
PV PROJECTS, AND
SHORT DURATION BATTERIES TO OUR
PORTFOLIO IN A SHORTER AMOUNT
OF TIME THAN WE'VE EVER
ACHIEVED
IN THE PAST.
A SMALLER QUANTITY OF ADVANCED
RESOURCED WOULD BE ABLE TO
OFFSET.
FOR THAT REASON THEY'LL BE
CRITICAL TO ADD TO OUR PORTFOLIO
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ON THIS SLIDE WE'VE GOT TWO
MORE TABLES WITH THE SAME TIME
FRAMESFRAMES EACH COLUMN, AS IN
THE TABLE
ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THE TOP TABLE HERE SHOWS CITY
LIGHTS NEW
CUSTOMER SIDE RESOURCE ADDITIONS
THAT WERE
IDENTIFIED IN OUR
PREVIOUS MODELING WORK.
CUSTOMER SIDE RESOURCES ARE
THINGS THAT HELP THE
UTILITY MEET LOAD WITH OUR
CUSTOMER'S DIRECT PARTICIPATION
SUCH AS
CONSERVATION RESOURCES THAT
HELP CUSTOMERS USE ENERGY MORE
EFFICIENTLY, DEMAND RESPONSE
RESOURCES, AND CUSTOMER SOLAR,
ALSO COMMONLY REFERRED TO
AS ROOFTOP SOLAR.
OUR MODEL IDENTIFIED THE NEED
FOR 107 MEGAWATTS OF
NEW CUSTOMER SIDE RESOURCES IN
THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF THE FIRST
20- YEAR PERIOD OF IRP
AND 48 ADDITIONAL MEGAWATTS OF
CUSTOMER RESOURCES NEEDED IN THE
SECOND TEN YEARS FOR THE TOTAL
OF 155
MEGAWATTS OVER THE NEXT 20
YEARS. THE BOTTOM TABLE SHOWS
OUR
TOTAL RESOURCE NEED COMBINING
BOTH NEW SUPPLY SIDE RESOURCES
FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AND
CUSTOMER
SIDE RESOURCES FROM THE TABLE
ABOVE.
THE GRAND TOTAL RESOURCE
NEED FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS IS
1,818
MEGAWATTS.
AND IN THE FOLLOWING
TEN YEARS WE'RE SHOWING A TOTAL
RESOURCE NEED OF 1,920 MEGAWATTS
MORE.
OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
THAT MEANS WE'RE SHOWING A
GRAND
TOTAL NEED OF 3,738 MEGAWATTS.
THE BOTTOM LINE SHOWS OUR
TRANSITION NEEDS IN THE
SAME PERIODS IN ORDER TO GET
BOTH
OUR EXISTING GENERATION
BACK HOME AS WELL AS GETTING ALL
THE GENERATION
FROM THESE NEW RESOURCES BACK TO
SEATTLE
TO MEET OUR LOAD.
IN THE FIRST TEN YEARS WE SHOW
A TOTAL NEED OF 302 MEGAWATTS
OF NEW TRANSMISSION.
AND IN THE SECOND TEN YEARS
WE SHOW A NEED FOR 203 MEGAWATTS
OF ADDITIONAL TRANSITION.
THIS MEANS OUR TOTAL
TRANSITION NEED OVER THE NEXT 20
YEARS IS
505 MEGAWATTS.
AND NOW I'LL HAND IT BACK TO
KATEY TO WRAP THIS
UP.
>> OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO
GIVE A RECAP OF OUR MAIN
TAKE-AWAYS ON THIS SLIDE. SO
INCREASED ELECTRIFICATION
HAS LED US TO SUSTAINED
LOAD GROWTH WITH WINTER PEAKS
INCLUDING WEATHER VOLATILITY
REQUIRING INCREASED RESOURCE
NEED
THAT HAVE WEATHER- DRIVEN
INTERMITTENCY, WHICH HAS MADE
US INCREASINGLY INTERESTED
IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY ENERGY
SOLUTIONS, AND WE'LL BE DOING A
DEEPER DIVE IN FUTURE IRPs.
SO NOW OUR
CALL TO ACTION. AS I SAID, THE
REQUIREMENT FOR UTILITIES TO
CREATE
INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN ALSO
REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE
UTILITY'S GOVERNING BODY.
IN SEATTLE CITY LIGHTS
CASE THAT'S CITY COUNCIL.
WE REQUEST APPROVAL FOR
THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION
THAT INCLUDES
THE 2026 RESOURCE PLAN. THE IRP
REPORT IS INCLUDED
IN THE LEGISLATIVE PACT
AS ATTACHMENT TO THE RESOLUTION.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO
TALK TO YOU
ABOUT TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T WANT YOU
TO THINK THAT I WAS BORED.
I WENT THROUGH THE STUFF
BEFORE, SO I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING
TO
GET THROUGH IT.
IT'S IMPORTANT.
FIRST, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HE
HAD A HARD STOP AT 4:00, BUT
HE'S
ON THE PHONE BUT HE CAN HEAR US.
SO COUNCILMEMBER
STRZOKKA, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE
OF OUR GUESTS BEFORE I ASK A
QUESTION?
>>
NO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WAS YOUR HAND UP?
IT WAS.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
SORRY.
>> I'LL JUST SAY IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME I'LL HOLD MY
QUESTIONS FOR NEXT MEETING
BECAUSE I HAD
A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THE
CITY LIGHT TEAM AHEAD OF THIS
MEETING TODAY -- A GREAT AMOUNT
OF
INFORMATION,
VERY DENSE INFORMATION HERE.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S
WORK.
I'LL FOLLOW UP AT
OUR NEXT MEETING IN THE INTEREST
OF TIME.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
WE WERE TOGGING
AMONGST OURSELVES AND WE WERE
TALKING WITH STAFF -- YOU DON'T
HAVE
TO GO BACK TO
IT, BUT ON SLIDE 14, AND THEN
YOU END ON SLIDE --
WELL, ACTUALLY SLIDE 4, BUT
I'M LOOKING AT
14 NOW. SO ON THE INCREASED
ELECTRIFICATION YOU HAVE THAT
ON BOTH OF THOSE -- IS THAT
BECAUSE THE FEDS WHEN THEY
PASSED
THE GREEN NEW DEAL IN 2019 AND
THEN WE PASSED IT IN AUGUST OF
2019.
IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THAT
IS INCREASED ELECTRIFICATION.
SEAR, WE MOVED ALL OF OUR SUITES
TO -- ALL OF OUR FLEETS, I'M
SORRY, TO ELECTRICITY, AND
THEN WE PASSED THE GREEN NEW
DEAL,
AS YOU KNOW, IN 2019.
I THINK IT WAS
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN AT THE
TIME WE
WERE FOLLOWING THE GREEN NEW
DEAL,
AOC 2019.
AND THEN WE DID IT IN AUGUST
2019.
SO IS THAT WHY WE HAVE ALL THIS
INCREASE IN THE -- THE
INCREASED ELECTRIFICATION?
>> THE ELECTRIFICATION IS
DRIVEN BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
THINGS.
SO WE ARE SEEING
GENERAL GROWTH IN PASSENGER
VEHICLES THAT
ARE BEING
ELECTRIFIED.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> I THINK WASHINGTON
IN PARTICULAR HAS A GREAT
INDUSTRY
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
BECAUSE OUR POWER COSTS ARE SO
LOW,
AND OUR GAS PRICES TEND TO
BE HIGH. IT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE
FOR OUR
CUSTOMERS. ALSO, IT
INCLUDES ELECTRIFICATION RELATED
TO
FLEETS, TO TRANSIT, TO THE
PORT AS WELL AS BUILDING
EMISSION
STANDARDS FOR SEATTLE.
SO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
THINGS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO
THE INCREASED
ELECTRIFICATION.
>> OKAY.
AND THEN I
HAD ONE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO
PROBABLY
THINK THIS IS A DUMB QUESTION,
BUT IT
WAS DRIVING ME CRAZY.
AND I ACTUALLY LIKE MAPS.
ON PAGE 8 WHEN YOU LISTED OUT
ALL THE BPA SERVICE AREA
AND WHERE THE FEDERAL DAMS
WERE, FIRST OF ALL, I DIDN'T SEE
31, SO I HAD TO
COUNT THEM ON MY OWN AND I
REALIZED THEY WROTE
THEM IN THERE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT RESOURCE, ARE
YOU INCLUDING DAMS AND WHAT
ELSE?
BECAUSE I'M LOOKING, LIKE,
WHAT IS LUCKY PEAK?
IS THAT WIND, WATER, SOLAR?
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> YEAH, SO THIS INCLUDES BOTH
OUR OWNED RESOURCES
AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE A
POWER PURCHASE
AGREEMENT WITH. SO WE HAVE A
CONTRACT TO
GET WIND.
SO LUCKY PEAK, FOR EXAMPLE, IS
A HYDRO DAM, SO WE HAVE A
CONTRACT WITH THEM, AND THEN WE
ALSO HAVE -- I THINK ON THE
PREVIOUS
SLIDE, ON SLIDE 7, IT'S COLOR
CODED TO SHOW WHAT TYPE
OF RESOURCE ALL OF OUR
OWNED CONTRACTS
ARE.
>> OH, I SEE, LUCKY PEAK'S ON
THERE,
TOO.
>> YES.
>> BUT IT'S NOT OUR DAM.
>> NO, IT'S NOT OURS.
IT'S OWNED BY A
CONTRACTOR.
>> OKAY, SO WE HAVE THE DAMS WE
HAVE OWN AND THE DAMS
WE CONTRACT WITH AND THOSE ARE
THE RESOURCES.
OKAY, BECAUSE I WAS LIKE
WHERE THE HELL IS LUCKY PEAK?
OKAY, THAT WAS BUGGING ME.
I KNOW, IT WAS A NERDY THING.
OKAY, SO IS THERE
ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS WANT TO
ADD BEFORE
WE WRAP UP
HERE?
>> I DON'T THINK SO.
>> THINK YOU GOT IT ALL?
WE WILL BE -- WHAT DOES MY NOTE
SAY? PAUL, WHEN ARE WE BACK
IN COMMITTEE
ON THIS? JUNE -- JUNE 17th?
SO ARE YOU GOING TO
HAVE THE SAME POWERPOINT ON JUNE
17th?
>>
SURE.
>> WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU THINK
YOU
NEED TO. I'M JUST ASKING.
>> I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO
GO BACK THROUGH THE
POWERPOINT AGAIN.
WE'LL BRING IT SO IF THERE ARE
QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE
POWERPLANT, WE POWERPOINT WE CAN
GO BACK TO
THE SLIDES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION TO
PRESENT.
>> WHY ARE YOU REPORTING BACK
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE?
I KNOW UNDER STATE LAW YOU HAVE
TO DO THIS. WHY DOC?
IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE
ANSWER, THAT'S
OKAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY.
>> BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE ENERGY. WE HAVE A THE
DEPARTMENT OF
ECOLOGY.
AND I THINK THEY TUCKED
THIS TYPE OF STUFF UNDER
D.O.C.
. I KNOW WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON
WIND PROJECTS WE WERE LIKE WHY
IS THAT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THEIR
BASTION OF EXPERTISE OR
NOT.
>> FOR THE DIFFERENT
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE
SOME
OF THEM DO GO TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY AND SOME GO TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF WHY
THAT IS, I'M NOT SURE.
>> OKAY.
DO YOU KNOW WHO'S HEAD OF
D.O.C.
NOW?
>> THERE'S AN INTERIM DIRECTOR,
SARAH.
>> THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE
POWERPOINT, THE SUMMARY AND
FISCAL
NOTE,
WHAT ELSE? THE RESOLUTION, THE
OTHER
BIG
PACKET.
>> I BELIEVE SOME
COUNCILMEMBERS MAY BE SUBMITTING
WRITTEN QUESTIONS WE'LL BE
FORWARDING
TO
YOU.
>> OKAY. SO THIS WILL BE BACK IN
COMMITTEE --
>> ON THE 17th.
>> ON JUNE 17th AND FROM
THERE IT'LL GO TO FULL COUNCIL
IN
JULY, CORRECT?
ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, SO WITH
THAT, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
ANYTHING GOOD FOR THE ORDER
HERE?
CAN WE WRAP UP TODAY'S AGENDA?
YOU
GOOD?
>> YEAH, GREAT SPEECH
EARLIER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD ON
MY END.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. I HAVE A GREAT STAFF AND
I'VE BEEN ON THEM AND THEY
NEVER
WERE PAYING ATTENTION TO A.I.
UNTIL
I
DID. AND EVERY DAY I SENT
THEM DID YOU READ
THIS, DID YOU READ THIS ARTICLE,
DID YOU GO TO
POSSIBLE DOUBT CAST, SO
THEY'RE ANNOYED WITH ME.
ANYWAY, IT WAS A CULMINATION
OF ALL OF
THAT. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE
TO ADJOURN.
WE REACHED TO END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. THERE ARE MOW MORE
COMMENTS
FROM MY