News

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to attend Equity Policy Statement development workshop

kayla.boland — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 18:19:09 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to attend Equity Policy Statement development workshop

Date

April 12, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland April 12, 2024 - 11:19am

Media contact: 360-664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov
Docket number: A-230217

Public invited to attend Equity Policy Statement development workshop

LACEY, Wash. – The Utilities and Transportation Commission invites public participation in a workshop to discuss the development of a policy statement addressing the application of equity and justice in commission and regulated company processes and decisions.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHAT

Hybrid (in-person and virtual) workshop

WHEN and WHERE

1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 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 859 0226 3842# and Passcode 896593#.

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 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 UTC is holding this workshop as part of its ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive policy statement on equity and justice. This initiative reflects the commission’s commitment to ensuring that its regulatory decisions and processes are informed by the principles of procedural justice, distributional justice, recognition justice, and restorative justice.

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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Call Before You Dig to Know What’s Below

kayla.boland — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:25:54 +0000

Call Before You Dig to Know What’s Below

Date

April 3, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland April 3, 2024 - 9:25am

April is Safe Digging Month

LACEY, Wash. - As Washington residents prepare for spring gardening, home improvement projects, and construction, the Utilities and Transportation Commission reminds everyone to call 811 before digging to prevent injuries, property damage, and service disruptions.

April is nationally recognized as Safe Digging Month. Spring is a vital time to remember to call 811 at least two business days ahead of any digging project, big or small. This free service sends professional locators to mark underground utility lines on your property.

Whether you plant a tree, install a mailbox, or build a fence, calling 811 is the law and the safest course of action. It helps you avoid striking buried electrical lines, gas pipes, and other utilities that can cause severe harm.

In 2023, nearly half (46%) of the 2,069 reported underground utility damage in Washington were caused by those who did not call 811 before digging. These incidents are preventable with proper planning and a free call.

The Utility Notification Center receives calls to 811 and sends locators to mark utility lines with color-coded flags and paint. Once the locate is complete, carefully hand-dig around marked areas to avoid accidentally contacting buried utilities.

Last year, the notification center received 488,564 locate requests, a decrease of more than 35,757 from 2022.

If you experience any issues with your utility locate, such as delays, incomplete markings, or inaccuracies, contact the UTC Consumer Help Line at 1-888-333-WUTC (9882) or email consumer@utc.wa.gov. For more details on safe digging practices in Washington, visit digsafewa.com.

Established by the Legislature in 1955, the UTC’s 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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State regulators approve PacifiCorp’s first general rate case settlement

kayla.boland — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 20:20:22 +0000

State regulators approve PacifiCorp’s first general rate case settlement

Date

March 19, 2024 - 12:00pm

kayla.boland March 19, 2024 - 1:20pm

Media Contact: media@utc.wa.gov or 360-664-1125

Docket numbers: UE-230172 and UE-210852 (consolidated)

Customer rates to increase over next two years

Lacey, Wash. – Today, state regulators approved rate increases for PacifiCorp’s electric customers.

The Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a settlement agreement, subject to conditions, establishing a multi-year rate plan for the company to recover costs related to power, investments to support its clean energy transition, and increases in the cost of capital, among other factors. This is the first general rate case settlement approved for PacifiCorp since the passage of RCW 80.28.425, which requires utilities to propose multi-year rate plans in rate case filings before the commission.

The approved settlement covers a two-year period. Beginning in March 2024, a typical residential electric customer using 1,200 kilowatt-hours per month will pay $4.37 more per month, or an average monthly bill of $129.66. Beginning in March 2025, customers will experience an additional increase of $6.07 more per month.

The settlement also requires PacifiCorp to work with the parties to develop a distributional equity analysis, a language access plan, and enhancements to its low-income bill assistance program.

The commission approved the settlement agreement, subject to the conditions, that the company tracks additional data on affordability and energy burdens. PacifiCorp must also investigate the costs of providing this data at the census tract level. If PacifiCorp and the other settling parties accept the commission’s conditions, PacifiCorp will submit a compliance filing to the commission to determine the effective date for the rate increase.

Revenue Requirements

Although the Commission authorized an increase in revenues of $12.68 million for rate year one and $21.1 million for rate years two, PacifiCorp must submit a compliance filing to update its power costs which will ultimately change the final impact to customers.

PacifiCorp also must return fifty percent of excess revenues associated with the sale of fly ash to Washington customers, effectively reducing rates by $3.4 million over two years.

Equity

In the settlement, PacifiCorp agreed to collaborate with UTC staff and interested parties to develop an equity framework to evaluate their next general rate case based on the tenets of equity developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. PacifiCorp will also develop a distributed equity analysis for capital projects. Additionally, PacifiCorp will develop costs and benefits for analysis in collaboration with its equity advisory group, integrated resource advisory group and its customers.

Low-income assistance

The settlement requires PacifiCorp to work with its low-income advisory group and equity advisory group to develop enhancements to its low-income bill assistance program and create an arrearage management plan. PacifiCorp will seek consensus regarding customers to use self-declaration to qualify for income-based assistance, and the Company will propose tariff revisions to the commission in a compliance filing by April 30, 2025. PacifiCorp will also conduct a robust equity review of its disconnection practices in consultation with the low-income advisory group and equity advisory group.

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 staff recommend $252,000 plus penalty to CenturyLink for lack of documentation and customer service response times

Tiffany Johnson — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:53:20 +0000

UTC staff recommend $252,000 plus penalty to CenturyLink for lack of documentation and customer service response times

Date

March 14, 2024 - 12:00pm

Tiffany Johnson March 14, 2024 - 10:53am

Docket number: UT-240078

Editor's Note: This news release reflects the position of staff of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and NOT the views of the three-member commission. It discusses enforcement actions and penalties that the commissioners have not yet reviewed. Any positions taken or comments offered by commission staff regarding this proceeding should be attributed clearly to staff members and NOT to the UTC.

Staff found company violated requirements for live representative response times and providing documentation

LACEY, Wash. – The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission filed a complaint against CenturyLink Communications, LLC for excessive wait times to reach a live customer service representative and not providing required documentation to the commission.

In an investigation, UTC staff found that CenturyLink violated commission rules by not connecting customers with a live representative within 60 seconds from the time the caller selected to speak to a live representative. Staff found that CenturyLink committed nine violations of this law from March 2022 through November 2022.

During the investigation, staff also found that CenturyLink failed to provide all requested documentation to the commission within 10 business days of the request. Staff found that CenturyLink committed 234 such violations from March 2023 through February 2024.

Staff are asking the commission to assess CenturyLink a penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation of requested documentation, totaling $243,000. Staff are also requesting an additional $1,000 per each violation of customer service response times, totaling $9,000. The combined total amount for all violations recommended is $252,000.

Initially, UTC staff discovered the violation after receiving several complaints from CenturyLink customers about excessive call wait times and their inability to reach a customer service representative.

The Utilities and Transportation Commission will hold a prehearing conference to establish a schedule to review the complaint at 1:30 p.m. on April 8.

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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UTC welcomes first Equity Director

amanda.mccarthy@utc.wa.gov — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 22:55:01 +0000

UTC welcomes first Equity Director  

Date

March 7, 2024 - 12:00pm

amanda.mccarth… March 7, 2024 - 2:55pm

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

UTC welcomes first Equity Director  

LACEY, Wash. - The Utilities and Transportation Commission named Denise Williams as the new Equity Director, effective March 1.

Williams brings more than 15 years of experience as an educator and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging advocate. In January 2018, Williams became the co-founder, diversity consultant, and director of operations for Engaging Across Difference that helps others successfully engage across the differences established by and resulting from social hierarchies.

“I am confident that Denise will help our agency grow in our EDI journey and help us make effective strategic decisions to best meet the needs of our workforce and those we serve,” said Executive Director Jeff Killip. “I look forward to launching into this powerfully important work with Denise.”

Previously, Williams worked as a K-3 and eighth-grade Spanish teacher with the Seattle Country Day School and later served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging for Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Wash. Williams also served as a Spanish teacher, diversity committee member, advisor, coach and dorm parent at Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass.

“I’m thrilled to join the UTC team to help develop, lead, and partner on EDI initiatives to create a culture rooted in equity and belonging,” said Williams. “If we center humanity with every new initiative, plan, and rollout, we are certain to arrive at the destination of unity and equity.”

Williams holds a master's in Spanish language and literature from Middlebury College and a bachelor's in Spanish from the College of Holy Cross.

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UTC staff responded to thousands of customer complaints in 2023

amanda.mccarthy@utc.wa.gov — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:32:14 +0000

UTC staff responded to thousands of customer complaints in 2023

Date

March 4, 2024 - 12:00pm

amanda.mccarth… March 4, 2024 - 12:32pm

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

UTC staff responded to thousands of customer complaints in 2023

Complaint investigations result in $265,531 in customer credits

LACEY, Wash. – In 2023, consumer protection staff at the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission closed 1,046 total customer complaints across six industries, resulting in the return of $265,531 in credits and refunds to customers.

The commission is partnering with federal and state agencies to support National Consumer Protection Week, March 4-8. The annual campaign encourages consumers to know and understand their rights and responsibilities in order to make better-informed decisions. UTC staff encourage consumers to learn how the UTC can help and when to contact the commission.

In its annual analysis of consumer complaints, the commission found that landline telecommunications companies once again topped the list of closed complaints, making up 55% of the 1,046 consumer complaints staff closed in 2023. When combined, electric and natural gas utilities made up 26% of the closed complaints, and 14% were against solid waste companies. The remainder of closed consumer complaints were against moving and water companies.

The most common complaints involved quality of service, disputed bills, and customer service.

The UTC’s Consumer Protection Help Line received 4,021 phone calls, and staff also responded to over 1,506 letters, web complaints, and emails from the public. In addition to resolving complaints, staff helped consumers find utility assistance, provided information on consumer rights, and assisted consumers in locating permitted residential moving and passenger transportation companies.

Consumers can file a complaint against a regulated company by calling the Consumer Protection Help Line at 1-888-333-WUTC (9882), emailing consumer@utc.wa.gov, or visiting the website.

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 services.

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UTC appoints human resources director

Tiffany Johnson — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 23:52:35 +0000

UTC appoints human resources director

Date

February 29, 2024 - 12:00pm

Tiffany Johnson February 29, 2024 - 3:52pm

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

LACEY, Wash. - The Utilities and Transportation Commission recently announced the appointment of Amy Neal as the new human resources director.

Neal has an extensive background in human resources, spending the last 16 years serving in various roles in Washington state government. Most recently, Neal served as the acting human resources director for the UTC since Sept. 2023, and her permanent appointment was finalized on Feb. 16.

“Amy is a great addition to the UTC team,” said Executive Director Jeff Killip. “Her depth of knowledge, extensive experience, and solution-oriented mindset will serve our existing and future workforce well.”

Neal’s experience includes working as a human resource manager for the Office of Financial Management and the Department of Corrections as the senior human resource business partner.

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 services.

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MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment on proposed PSE tariff revisions

amanda.mccarthy@utc.wa.gov — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:21:25 +0000

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment on proposed PSE tariff revisions

Date

February 6, 2024 - 12:00pm

amanda.mccarth… February 6, 2024 - 7:21am

Media contact: 360-664-1116 or media@utc.wa.gov
Docket number: UE-220066, UG-220067 and UG-210918 (consolidated)

Public invited to comment on PSE proposed tariff revisions

LACEY, Wash. – The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is holding a public comment hearing on Feb. 8 to discuss Puget Sound Energy’s proposed tariff revisions.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHAT

Virtual public comment hearing

WHEN and WHERE

6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8

Join by Zoom (recommended) or by phone at 253-215-8782 with Meeting ID 814 5100 9997# and Passcode 459983#.

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, Washington 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

PSE initially began operating under collections restrictions in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the Governor, by proclamation, ordered Washingtonians to stop all non-essential economic and social activity. The Governor, also by proclamation, forbade utilities from disconnecting residential customers for non-payment, refusing to reconnect customers who had been disconnected for non-payment, or charging late or disconnection fees. The protections remained in effect until September 30, 2021.

The Commission also took action in response to the pandemic by opening a docket, U-200281, to see what measures it or utilities could take to assist customers. It issued a prohibition on disconnections and charging fees that paralleled the Governor’s proclamation, and those prohibitions ended at the same time as the protections created by the Governor’s proclamation.

After a phase-in period, the Commission authorized utilities to begin charging late fees and resume disconnections. PSE resumed limited disconnections beginning May 2022 - those limitations included only customers who had more than $1,000 in arrearages, and excluded known and estimated low-income customers.

The filed petition is requesting the Commission approve the PSE to begin a phased approach to start communicating with customers who have delinquent balances, disconnecting customers, if needed. Known and estimated low-income customers would be included in the proposed phased approach.

Bellevue-based Puget Sound Energy provides electric service to more than 1.2 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 900,000 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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