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MEDIA ADVISORY: Public invited to comment on $350 million PSE rate request

Docket Numbers: UE-220066, UG-220067

Editor's Note: 

Public comment hearing Sept. 28

Lacey, WASH. – The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is holding a public comment hearing on Sept. 28 to discuss Puget Sound Energy’s current rate increase request and related settlement agreements with UTC staff and other parties.

Under the current settlement agreements, PSE would see an overall electric revenue increase of $223 million in the first year of the two-year rate plan and $38 million for the second year. PSE would also see an overall natural gas revenue increase of $70.6 million in the first year of the rate plan and an increase of $18.8 million for the second year.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

WHAT

Virtual-only public comment hearing

WHEN and WHERE

Wednesday, Sept. 28

6 p.m.

Join via Zoom (recommended), or call 253-215-8782 and use Meeting ID 834 6224 4485# and Passcode 772950#.

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 paige.doyle@utc.wa.gov.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to attend the meeting, please contact the UTC at least one business day before the meeting by calling 360-664-1132 or emailing human_resources@utc.wa.gov.

You can also submit public comments:

BACKGROUND

In January, PSE filed a three-year rate increase request.

On Aug. 5, UTC staff announced a settlement agreement to address PSE’s Green Direct program that allows corporate and government customers — like cities or counties — to voluntarily purchase 100% of their energy from dedicated local and renewable energy sources.

On Aug. 26, UTC staff announced two more settlement agreements to resolve the remaining issues in PSE’s rate request. One settlement addresses PSE’s revenue requirement and several significant policy issues; the other settlement addresses PSE’s Tacoma liquified natural gas plant. The agreements also change PSE's requested multi-year rate plan to two years instead of the original three.

Under the settlement agreements the typical residential electric customer using 831 kWh of energy will see a rate increase of $10.83 or 11.4% in 2023 for an average monthly bill of $105.84, and an additional $1.71 or 1.6% increase in 2024 for an average monthly bill of $107.55.

The typical natural gas residential customer using 64 therms will see a rate increase of $4.93 or 6.5% in 2023 for an average monthly bill of $80.73, and an additional $1.27 or 1.6% in 2024 for an average monthly bill of $82.

The commission, which is not bound by the settlement agreements, will complete its review of the company’s request and all three related settlements by Dec. 31. If approved, PSE’s new rates would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.

Bellevue-based PSE provides energy service to more than 1.2 million electric customers and 860,000 natural gas 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.  

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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Topic(s)
Consumer
Energy
General