Rocky Mountain Power, RMP, wants Utahns to pay to dig our own climate change graves. After canceling the request for proposals to purchase wind, solar, and energy storage resources, and extending the life of their coal powered plants indefinitely (state legislation SB224), RMP is asking for a tremendous rate increase.
We, Utah customers, face 30% increases to our monthly electric bills as well as another 5% for a new Utah fire fund. In addition, RMP is asking for ratepayer money to cover last year’s insurance cost overrun.
Utah holds the majority of RMP’s customers in their three-state intermountain territory of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Public uproar in Wyoming pressured the utility to schedule public meetings starting next week. Utahns deserve opportunities to hear, in statewide public meetings, the electric utility justify these increases.
Put pressure on your politicians; demand that our monopoly utility hold public meetings in Utah like they’re doing in Wyoming, so that we can participate and ask questions before the new rates are approved and it’s too late.
In the meantime, the Utah Public Service Commission (psc@utah.gov) has opened dockets to consider the 30% general rate increase (24-035-04), the insurance overrun (23-035-40), and the Energy Balancing Account “true up” charge (24-035-01). An RMP-PacifiCorp analyst said that the Utah Fire Fund rate increase will be considered later.
Please comment and pressure politicians!
Nia Z. Sherar, Salt Lake City