Attend June 4 Hearing: Assure that Puget Sound Energy remains a clean energy leader and offers fair rates for gas and electricity

Public hearings set on clean and affordable energy

 
In May and June, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) will be taking public comments on two important cases involving Puget Sound Energy:

• PSE’s request for a rate increase (the “rate case”), and
• The proposed acquisition of the utility by an investor consortium (the “acquisition case”).
  

Proposed rate changes and mergers or acquisitions involving the state’s investor-owned utilities require WUTC approval.

PSE gas and electric customers should express their support for energy efficiency, low-income energy services, renewable energy and strong greenhouse gas emissions-reduction policies at any of the following hearings.
 

  
In addition, the WUTC has scheduled an informal open meeting in Woodinville on May 28. The open house will be on Wednesday, May 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Carol Edwards Center in downtown Woodinville at 17401 133 Ave. N.E., on the City Hall campus.
 

Can’t attend a public hearing?

Written comments may be submitted to the WUTC, by July 28 for the sale case and August 25 for the rate case.

• Send emails to comments@utc.wa.gov
• Go to WUTC’s comment page
• Mail your comments to: UTC, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250

 
For all correspondence, you must reference the docket numbers: U-072375 (acquisition case), UE-072300 (electric rate case), UG-072301 (natural gas rate case).

These hearings are important to our clean energy future!

PSE, an investor-owned utility, is Washington state's oldest and largest energy utility, serving more than 1 million electric customers and about 725,000 natural gas customers, primarily in the Puget Sound region. Increasing electricity and gas rates is always a concern for energy consumers, who need to know if the increase is justified and will be fairly divided among large and small users. The proposed acquisition raises critical questions about PSE’s continued role as a regional leader in pursuing clean and affordable energy.

What you should tell the WUTC...

The following are the major points to impress upon WUTC commissioners. For more detailed talking points, go here. Frequently asked questions are here.
 

About the acquisition case:

• PSE has shown strong leadership over the past several years investing in energy efficiency programs, renewable energy development, and low-income energy services. The prospect of any new ownership raises concerns about  maintaining or improving managerial and financial competence, locally accessible managers, service quality and a willingness to make investments. WUTC must ensure that PSE continues to be a state and regional leader in securing clean and affordable energy, regardless of corporate ownership.
  
• In its proposal to the WUTC, the investor consortium and PSE made several -commitments to energy efficiency, renewable energy resources, low-income energy services and greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies. Before approving this acquisition, the WUTC must require specific, measurable actions to assure the new owners follow through on their commitments.
• The investor consortium has no corporate greenhouse gas emissions-reduction policy, but pledges to support PSE’s Greenhouse Gas and Carbon Policy. The WUTC should encourage PSE’s role as a state and regionwide leader in working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• PSE’s energy efficiency investments must at least be maintained and ideally should be increased. The WUTC should require continued, aggressive energy efficiency efforts.
• PSE should go beyond the legal minimum in providing new renewable energy to its customers. At the very least, the WUTC should require the investor consortium to affirm and continue PSE’s internal target of serving 10% of its load with new renewable resources by 2013.
• PSE should increase funding for its low-income bill assistance and energy efficiency programs and draw more households into the programs. The WUTC should encourage program expansion and approve the increased funding.

About the rate case:

• The WUTC should reject PSE’s proposed substantial increases in monthly fixed charges for electric and gas customers 
• PSE should increase funding for its low-income bill assistance program and draw more households into the program, and the WUTC should encourage and approve such an increase.

 
For more detailed talking points, go here.
For answers to frequently asked questions.

For further information, contact Danielle Dixon at danielle@nwenergy.org or (206) 621-0094