(1) The Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System is the renewable energy credit tracking system for purposes of verification of RECs under chapter 19.405 RCW.

(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, each utility must verify and document by the retirement of RECs all electricity from renewable resources used to meet a target in an interim performance period or to comply with the requirements of RCW 19.405.040 or 19.405.050.

(b) A utility is not required to comply with (a) of this subsection for electricity from renewable resources used to meet a target in an interim performance period if:

(i) The energy source for the generating facility is water;

(ii) The generating facility is not registered in WREGIS or the WREGIS account holder for the generating facility verifies that no RECs have been created for the electricity used to meet CETA requirements; and

(iii) The utility owned the generating facility or purchased the electricity directly from the owner of the facility or, in the case of federal generating facilities, from BPA.

(3) Each utility using a REC under this chapter must document the following:

(a) The REC represents the output of a renewable resource;

(b) The vintage of the REC is a year within the applicable performance period or compliance period; and

(c) The utility has retired the REC to a retirement subaccount of the utility within WREGIS using the following values in the certificate transfer:

(i) Retirement type: Used by the account holder for a state-regulated renewable portfolio standard/provincial utility portfolio standard;

(ii) State/province: Washington; and

(iii) Compliance year: Within the applicable performance period or compliance period.

(4) A utility may use any REC retired to comply with RCW 19.285.040 for the purposes identified in subsection (2) of this section if the compliance year indicated in the retirement documentation of the REC is within the compliance period of the standard or target identified in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) This rule does not require the retirement of RECs identified in a CEIP and not otherwise used to meet an interim target or to comply with the requirements of RCW 19.405.040 or 19.405.050.