News

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to attend workshop on electric vehicle charging policy

kayla.boland — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:59:58 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to attend workshop on electric vehicle charging policy

Date

June 18, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland June 18, 2024 - 10:59am

Media contact: 360-664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov
Docket number: UE-160799

LACEY, Wash. – The Utilities and Transportation Commission invites public participation in a workshop to review and possibly update the 2017 Policy and Interpretive Statement, which outlines the commission’s level of involvement in electric vehicle (EV) charging services offered by investor-owned electric companies.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission 

WHAT

Hybrid (in-person and virtual) workshop

WHEN and WHERE

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2024

For in-person attendance:

621 Woodland Square Loop S.E., Lacey, Washington 98503

Hearing Room – Please use sign-in sheet in the lobby.

For virtual participation:

Join by Zoom (recommended) or by phone at 253-215-8782 with Meeting ID 854 4695 9047# and Passcode 580702#.

Translation services are available at no cost to you. If possible, please inform the commission at least one business day before the meeting by calling 360-664-1149, or by emailing stacey.brewster@utc.wa.gov.

If you need reasonable accommodation to attend the workshop, please contact the UTC at least one business day before the workshop by calling 888-333-9882 or by emailing consumer@utc.wa.gov. Please note the workshop notice and agenda list incorrect contact information for those who need to make reasonable accommodations.

BACKGROUND

In June of 2017, the UTC issued its Final Policy and Interpretive Statement to clarify its jurisdiction and regulation of EV charging services offered by UTC-regulated electric companies. Much has changed in the transportation electrification industry since then. Additionally, the regulatory environment has seen significant shifts at state and federal levels, including the adoption of several climate related laws that ultimately require 100 percent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Given these changes, regulated utilities and the public will benefit from direct guidance from the UTC. The workshop will provide an opportunity for interested parties to provide input and feedback, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the policy reflects current industry trends and follows rules established in recent legislation.

The UTC regulates the rates and services of telecommunications companies, investor-owned electric utilities, natural gas and water companies, garbage-collection haulers, household-goods movers and passenger transportation companies, commercial ferries, pipeline companies, marine pilotage, and a low-level radioactive waste repository. The commission does not regulate the rates of broadband services, cellular, cable, or Internet service.

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Remembering the Bellingham pipeline tragedy

amanda.mccarthy@utc.wa.gov — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:16:37 +0000

Remembering the Bellingham pipeline tragedy

Date

June 10, 2024 - 12:00pm

amanda.mccarth… June 10, 2024 - 10:16am

Remembering the Bellingham pipeline tragedy

Honoring the 25-year anniversary of the deadly Bellingham Whatcom Falls Park explosion

On this day 25 years ago, a pipeline carrying gasoline through Bellingham’s Whatcom Falls Park exploded. The explosion killed three young people, injured eight others, leaked more than a quarter million gallons of fuel into the environment, and caused more than $58 million in property damage. The emotional scars of that tragic event are still with us. This tragedy, the result of a series of errors by the operator and an excavator, was entirely preventable.

In the aftermath of that tragedy, Washington’s congressional leaders advocated for and ultimately succeeded in tightening regulation of natural gas and liquid fuel pipelines. The Pipeline Safety Act of 2002 gave federal safety regulators the authority and resources they needed, improved the training of pipeline personnel, increased penalties for safety violations, and updated and improved inspection practices.

Significantly, the law also expanded the authority of states to regulate pipeline safety. Today, the UTC regulates the safety practices of operators of more than 45,000 miles of natural gas and liquid fuels pipelines in Washington state. The UTC continues to take this role seriously.

The UTC:

Directed operators to remove or replace all cast iron and bare steel pipelines.
Regularly inspects the pipelines and the records of operators to ensure pipeline personnel are adequately trained and follow federal safety procedures, and that their books and records are complete and up to date.
Provides resources, including public maps of pipelines traversing their communities and neighborhoods.
Requires and reviews pipeline operators’ safety plans to minimize methane leaks from existing pipelines.
Enforces requirements that operators, contractors, local governments, and citizens call 8-1-1 for free locates of underground facilities before they dig.

As we commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the Bellingham pipeline tragedy, the UTC recommits to prioritizing pipeline safety, improving safety regulation, investigating pipeline accidents, raising public awareness of pipeline safety, and vigorously enforcing the laws and regulations governing the operations of natural gas and liquid fuel pipelines. We must not forget what the people of Bellingham suffered in 1999, and we must all work diligently each and every day to prevent future tragedies like that in Bellingham from happening again.

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UTC Pipeline Safety Program earns perfect score in website transparency review

britt.gonzalez@utc.wa.gov — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:45:29 +0000

UTC Pipeline Safety Program earns perfect score in website transparency review

Date

June 10, 2024 - 12:00pm

britt.gonzalez… June 10, 2024 - 8:45am

Media contact: (360) 664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov  

UTC Pipeline Safety Program earns perfect score in website transparency review

LACEY, Wash. — The Utilities and Transportation Commission Pipeline Safety Program gained a perfect score following an annual website transparency review from the Pipeline Safety Trust (PST).

This achievement reflects the UTC's commitment to promoting accountability within the pipeline safety industry and keeping the public informed.

"The UTC Pipeline Safety Program is proud to maintain a perfect score on the Pipeline Safety Trust's website transparency review for the past several years," said Pipeline Safety director Scott Rukke. "This recognition reflects our dedication to keeping our website up-to-date and ensuring the public has easy access to vital pipeline safety information."

Washington is one of four states to receive a perfect score for providing pipeline information to the public on the commission's website. This accomplishment marks a significant achievement, as the UTC Pipeline Safety Program has maintained this standard since 2018.

The PST performs a nationwide yearly analysis of pipeline safety websites, assessing accessibility and the amount of information readily available to the public. This review focuses on programs with certifications from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) or interstate agency agreements.

The Pipeline Safety Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting pipeline safety through advocacy, education, and research.

Established by the Legislature in 1955, the UTC Pipeline Safety Program regulates the safety practices of 39 pipeline operators and conducts safety inspections on more than 47,000 miles of natural gas and hazardous-liquid pipelines in Washington. The UTC also regulates private, investor-owned natural gas, electric, water, and telecommunication utilities in the state. More information on the UTC Pipeline Safety Program can be found at www.utc.wa.gov.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment on PacifiCorp’s tariff change

kayla.boland — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:00:27 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment on PacifiCorp’s tariff change

Date

June 6, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland June 6, 2024 - 11:00am

Media contact: 360-664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov
Docket Number: UE-230877

Public comment hearing June 20

Lacey, WASH. — The Utilities and Transportation Commission is holding a public comment hearing on June 20 to discuss PacifiCorp’s proposal to amend its electric service rules and regulations that limit its liability to actual economic damage.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHAT

Virtual public comment hearing

WHEN and WHERE

6 p.m. on Thursday, June 20

Join by Zoom (recommended) or by phone at 253-215-8782 with Meeting ID 828 6876 4338# and Passcode 629441#.

You can also submit public comments:

online,
by telephone at 888-333-9882,
by email at comments@utc.wa.gov, and
by mail to P.O Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250

Translation services are available at no cost to you. If possible, please inform the commission at least one business day before the meeting by calling 360-664-1140, or by emailing stacey.brewster@utc.wa.gov.

If you need reasonable accommodation to attend the meeting, please contact the UTC at least one business day before the meeting by calling 888-333-9882 or emailing consumer@utc.wa.gov.

BACKGROUND

In October 2023, PacifiCorp dba Pacific Power & Light Company filed revised tariff sheets to its WN U-76 tariff. PacifiCorp proposes to limit its liability to actual economic damage. By taking service, a customer would waive any and all claims for special, noneconomic, punitive, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages against PacifiCorp under any legal theory, regardless of PacifiCorp’s degree of culpability.

In November 2023, PacifiCorp filed additional revised tariff sheets. The following month, the UTC issued Order 01 suspending the November tariff filing, requiring a briefing to determine the legal question of whether PacifiCorp’s proposal is authorized by statute; and if so, whether the proposed limitation of liability aligns with public interest.

Portland, Ore.-based PacifiCorp is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy of Des Moines, Iowa. The company provides electric service to about 130,000 customers in six Eastern Washington counties: Kittitas, Columbia, Garfield, Benton, Walla Walla, and Yakima. Cities in the company’s service territory include College Place, Dayton, Grandview, Naches, Pomeroy, Prescott, Selah, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Union Gap, Waitsburg, Walla Walla, Wapato, Yakima, and Zillah.

The UTC is the state agency that regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington. It is the commission’s responsibility to ensure regulated companies provide equitable, safe, and reliable service to customers at reasonable rates, while allowing them the opportunity to earn a fair profit.

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UTC approves over $70,000 in safety upgrades for city of Marysville

britt.gonzalez@utc.wa.gov — Tue, 21 May 2024 16:23:50 +0000

UTC approves over $70,000 in safety upgrades for city of Marysville

Date

May 21, 2024 - 12:00pm

britt.gonzalez… May 21, 2024 - 9:23am

Media contact: (360) 664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov  

Docket number: TR-240258

UTC approves over $70,000 in safety upgrades for city of Marysville

LACEY, Wash. — The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) has approved $70,805 in funding from the Grade Crossing Protective Fund (GCPF) to improve pedestrian safety in downtown Marysville, Washington.

The project will install approximately 850 feet of tamper-resistant metal fencing between the BNSF Railway Co. right-of-way and Cedar Street, from 1st Street to 4th Street. This initiative aims to enhance public safety by reducing trespassing incidents and channeling pedestrians towards signalized railroad crossings.

The need for these upgrades was identified following several pedestrian near-misses and a fatality in the area. The new fencing is expected to reduce the risk of future incidents by restricting unauthorized access to the tracks.

In 1969, the Legislature created the GCPF program to provide funding for safety measures to reduce accidents and fatalities at public and private crossings and along railroad tracks.

The UTC regulates railroad safety, including approving new grade crossings and closing or altering existing rail crossings, investigating train accidents, inspecting public railroad crossings, approving safety projects, and managing safety education through Operation Lifesaver.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment at second hearing on CenturyLink classification petition

britt.gonzalez@utc.wa.gov — Mon, 20 May 2024 18:17:38 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment at second hearing on CenturyLink classification petition

Date

May 20, 2024 - 12:00pm

britt.gonzalez… May 20, 2024 - 11:17am

Media contact: 360-664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov 
Docket number: UT-240029

Public invited to comment at second hearing on CenturyLink classification petition

LACEY, Wash. – The Utilities and Transportation Commission is holding a second public comment hearing on June 6 to discuss the competitive classification petition filed by CenturyLink companies. 

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHAT

Virtual public comment hearing

WHEN and WHERE

6 p.m. on Thursday, June 6.

Join by Zoom (recommended) or by phone at 253-215-8782 with Meeting ID 837 9445 2775# and Passcode 577755#.

You can also submit public comments:

online,

by phone at 888-333-9882,
by email to comments@utc.wa.gov, and
by mail to P.O Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250

If you need reasonable accommodation to attend the meeting, please contact the UTC at least one business day before the meeting by calling 888-333-9882 or emailing consumer@utc.wa.gov.

BACKGROUND 

The CenturyLink companies, including Qwest Corporation and several CenturyTel entities, have filed a petition with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission seeking competitive classification pursuant to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 80.36.320 and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 480-121-061. This classification could affect telecommunications regulation and oversight.

CenturyLink, part of Lumen Technologies, is the largest local telephone company in Washington, serving approximately 650,000 residential and business lines.

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State regulators approve Puget Sound Energy to resume credit and collections processes with modifications

kayla.boland — Thu, 16 May 2024 22:20:22 +0000

State regulators approve Puget Sound Energy to resume credit and collections processes with modifications

Date

May 16, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland May 16, 2024 - 3:20pm

Media Contact: media@utc.wa.gov or 360-664-1125
Docket Numbers: UE-220066 and UG-220067 (Consolidated)

Modifications include increased outreach and education about energy assistance programs

LACEY, Wash. – Today, state regulators approved Puget Sound Energy’s request to resume its credit and collections practices with modifications. The company paused its collections practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The modifications require PSE to conduct targeted outreach to all customers with a balance above $250 that is more than 90 days overdue. Outreach must include telephone or written communication to customers that includes information about bill assistance, payment management, and other programs that the customer may be eligible for without threatening disconnection. PSE will also identify and refer customers to local Community Action Agencies for additional assistance.

The order states that if a customer fails to take action with PSE or a local Community Action Agency regarding their past-due balance within 30 days of the customer communication, PSE may place the customer on a phased debt collection plan, known as dunning. Disconnections for non-payment are limited to customers with at least $250 of unpaid, overdue bills.

As of October 2023, PSE reported a total of $140 million in unpaid, overdue balances.

The commission approved PSE to resume credit and collections processes to address the significant cost of overdue balances and the potential impact if the total unpaid balances were distributed to all customers for recovery. The order recognizes the importance of providing extensive protection and resources for customers who need assistance to pay their energy bills.

However, to mitigate the impact on vulnerable customers, the commission determined that unpaid, overdue balances that occurred during the COVID-19 disconnection moratorium, spanning from March 2020 through Dec. 2021, will not be recovered from individual customers. Instead, the order notes that PSE may recover these costs through its rates.

The modified practices go into effect immediately.

The order emphasizes that the commission expects, “PSE and all other utilities to prioritize principles of energy justice, afford meaningful opportunities for public participation, and conduct thorough equity analyses when developing credit and collections policies that could disproportionately harm already vulnerable populations.”

Additionally, the order states that “achieving equitable access to essential utility services is a vital public interest that must be central to our regulation of customer arrearages, disconnections, and affordability programs. While this order allows a limited resumption of the dunning process, our work to advance energy justice and equitable utility practices is far from complete.”

Background Information

On Dec. 22, 2022, the commission approved Final Order 24/10 in Docket UE-220066. In the order, PSE agreed to continue its existing credit and collections processes until the conclusion of the commission proceeding being conducted in Docket U-210800.

As part of this agreement, PSE did not conduct targeted outreach or disconnect customers unless their past-due balance exceeded $1,000, and they were not considered to be an estimated low-income or known low-income customer. PSE limited targeted outreach and collections practices to customers with past-due balances greater than $1,000.

Bellevue-based PSE provides electricity service to more than 1.1 million electric customers in eight Washington counties: Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Pierce, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom. PSE also provides natural gas service to more than 800,000 customers in six Washington counties: King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston.   

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Editor’s note: You can find the final order and all other documents related to this case on our website.

State regulators approve Puget Sound Energy’s request to recover certain LNG facility costs

kayla.boland — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 22:40:24 +0000

State regulators approve Puget Sound Energy’s request to recover certain LNG facility costs

Date

April 24, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland April 24, 2024 - 3:40pm

Media Contact: media@utc.wa.gov or 360-664-1125
Docket number: UG-230393

LACEY, Wash. – Today, state regulators allowed Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to recover certain costs associated with its Tacoma liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. The commission rejected recovery in rates of costs associated with marine shipping services since the services do not benefit the company’s gas customers.

In the final order, the commission found that PSE’s decision to build the plant was prudent but expressed concern that PSE received violation notices from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and noted this could impact the company’s return on investment in the facility in the future. The commission also rejected PSE’s request to recover certain costs from customers, such as the costs of redesigning gas treatment equipment.

On May 25, 2023, PSE filed revisions to its currently effective natural gas tariff to recover the costs of constructing and operating the Tacoma LNG facility. PSE proposed $47.6 million of additional revenue to include recovery of depreciation expense, return on investment, and operating and maintenance expenses associated with the regulated portion of the facility. The request also proposed recovery of PSE’s deferred capital costs, including deferred return on investment and operating expenses since the facility began commercial operation in February 2022. Additionally, PSE proposed an allocation of the costs of constructing the four-mile distribution line used to supply gas to the facility between PSE’s regulated and non-regulated customers.

PSE proposed to apply the rate of return approved in its recent general rate case to the total rate base associated with the facility, including its deferrals.

The commission agreed with UTC staff’s position and rejected PSE’s request to recover a portion of its deferred return on investment. Additionally, the commission agreed with staff’s proposed allocation of the four-mile distribution line between PSE customers and non-regulated customers and directed PSE to refund the amount its regulated customers overpaid. The reduced allocation percentage decreases the regulated customers’ share of the $27.4 million distribution line from 62%, as proposed by PSE, to 30%.

The amount of refund to be returned to PSE’s regulated customers will be determined in PSE’s subsequent compliance filing.

Background Information

On Dec. 22, 2022, the commission approved a settlement concerning the Tacoma LNG Plant, which determined that PSE acted prudently in authorizing the construction of the facility and allowed PSE to record Tacoma LNG facility costs in a tracker. The settlement permitted PSE to seek recovery of these costs and allowed other parties to contest recovery of costs in a subsequent filing.

The commission modified a portion of the settlement and allowed PSE to recover costs provisionally, subject to refund, for the four-mile distribution line through rates. The order required PSE to allocate these costs between regulated and non-regulated customers in its Tacoma LNG tracker filing.

The commission is not responsible for siting or permitting the LNG facility, and its 2022 order focused primarily on whether it was prudent for PSE to begin construction of the facility.

Bellevue-based Puget Sound Energy provides natural gas service to more than 800,000 customers in six Washington counties: King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston.

The UTC is the state agency that regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington. It is the commission’s responsibility to ensure regulated companies provide safe and reliable service to customers at reasonable rates, while allowing them the opportunity to earn a fair profit.

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