Families Want Lower Costs and Less Pollution: Public Interest Groups Push Washington’s Largest Utility to Lower Rate Increases and Meet Clean Energy Laws

Seattle, WA — Climate, environmental, and social justice organizations filed testimony today urging the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to reduce the proposed rate hike from Washington’s largest utility and hold it accountable to meet the state’s clean energy goals…

The advocacy groups, represented by Earthjustice, filed the testimony as part of their intervention in a rate hike request by PSE before Washington’s public utility commission. The utility is seeking to raise its customer rates over the next three years by nearly 30% for electricity and nearly 20% for gas…

 

Testimonies filed today with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission:

• Lauren McCloy, NWEC, explains how PSE is not on track to meet CETA targets and summarizes the recommendations of the joint environmental advocates.
• Liz Stanton, Applied Economics Clinic, reviews PSE’s proposed investments in new gas-fired electric power plants and recommends the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission not approve them.
• Brad Cebulko, Current Energy Group, reviews PSE’s proposed investments in gas infrastructure and recommends significant changes to bring the gas system into alignment with state clean energy goals.
• Aqsa Mengal, Front and Centered and Charlee Thompson, NWEC, review equity and energy provisions in PSE’s programs and make recommendations for improvements.
• Danielle Velez, NRDC, recommends adopting a program to reduce investments in new gas service lines.
• Megan Larkin, Climate Solutions, evaluates whether PSE’s gas systems comply with the Climate Commitment Act and whether that compliance appropriately balances risks between PSE’s shareholders and its customers.