State can focus more on building climate-resilient infrastructure to meet energy needs, audit finds
Jun 24, 2025
Washington has taken many steps to increase the development of renewable energy infrastructure, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However these investments are increasingly vulnerable to risks associated with changing climate conditions, such as wildfires, extreme winds, droughts and flooding.
The Office of the Washington State Auditor reviewed the state’s efforts to adapt these new electricity-generating sites to future risks, and found three important areas for improvement:
-
Encouraging vulnerability assessments to help developers and power utilities identify and plan for threats posed by changing climate conditions. Climate-related vulnerability assessments for electricity infrastructure are already required in some states and municipalities.
-
Better mapping of wildfire vulnerability and other climate risks through the use of more granular location-specific analyses to be developed by the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington.
-
Improve facilitation of conflict resolution and collaboration between the various private, state, local and federal entities involved in the electricity industry through a single state office.
The audit looked at programs within seven state agencies involved in planning, siting, construction or operation of new electricity, and includes detailed recommendations.
“Adapting to a changing climate will be a very complex challenge for years to come, as experts forecast its effects will only become more extreme,” said State Auditor Pat McCarthy. “This report offers insights that will help make critical investments in that effort more resilient and effective.”
The full report and summary materials are available at the State Auditor’s Office website: Ensuring Climate-Resilient Infrastructure performance audit.
Media questions: Assistant Director of Communications Adam Wilson, Adam.Wilson@sao.wa.gov, 564-999-0799