A state legislative committee is moving quickly to consider a raft of new proposed measures that members say will help protect Wyoming ratepayers from a dramatic rise in utility costs.
The impetus for the draft legislation — there are five draft bills and a draft resolution that will be considered Wednesday in Cheyenne — are two electric rate hike proposals by Rocky Mountain Power that add up to a 29.2% increase, according to members of the Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. The multi-state utility, which is a division of Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp, is the largest single electrical provider in Wyoming.
The first of two formal “evidentiary” Public Service Commission hearings regarding the rate hike proposals is set for Oct. 25. Originally, the Corporations Committee wasn’t scheduled to meet again until Oct. 26, but “leadership in both houses asked us to move things up,” Corporations Committee Co-Chairman Sen. Cale Case (R-Lander) told WyoFile.
“There is even some talk of a special session,” he added.
Representatives of Rocky Mountain Power, as well as leadership from the Public Service Commission charged with approving or modifying the rate requests, testified before the Corporations Committee in August. The utility re-asserted its analysis that volatile markets for coal and natural gas are the main drivers behind the proposed rate hikes, which add up to $190.5 million. Meantime, the utility’s renewable energy additions — so far — have helped Wyoming ratepayers avoid more than $85 million in costs that otherwise would have been added to monthly bills.
But many local officials, members of the public and lawmakers doubt Rocky Mountain Power’s analysis.
“I’m profoundly skeptical,” Corporations Committee member Sen. Charles Scott (R-Casper) said.
Rather than focusing on fossil fuels, the committee is considering legislation that largely targets renewable energy, including a moratorium on yet-to-be permitted industrial wind and solar facilities in the state.
Proposed legislation
The Corporations Committee will consider five draft bills, as well as a draft resolution, when it meets Wednesday:
° Public Service Commission – electricity reliability
° Reclamation and decommissioning costs
° Low carbon energy rate recovery
° Moratorium on new wind and solar in electricity rates
° Electricity rates for costs that do not benefit Wyoming
° A resolution in opposition to Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed electric rate hikes
Several of the measures, including those that target electric reliability, facility decommissioning costs and facilities that “do not benefit Wyoming,” appear to be duplicative of the scrutiny that the Public Service Service Commission already applies to regulated utilities in the state, said Shannon Anderson, attorney for the Sheridan-based landowner advocacy group Powder River Basin Resource Council.
“They [Public Service Commission] are professionals, and they do a really good job,” Anderson said. “The Legislature needs to let them do that job.”
Claire Deuter, an organizer with the council, said the organization is particularly concerned with the proposed moratorium on industrial wind and solar energy.
“It’s picking winners and losers, and it’s picking coal over renewables,” Deuter said. “It seems foolish after we’ve had Rocky Mountain Power say renewables have saved customers money.”
But not all of the utility’s rising costs of providing electricity in the state are tied to fossil fuels, Scott said. There appears to be a “perverse incentive” — including federal measures and other state’s anti-fossil fuel policies — that makes it lucrative for the utility to add renewable energy and dump fossil fuels to generate electricity. That, Scott believes, is the primary threat to ratepayers in the state.
“Those are the issues that are at stake here,” he said. “And the committee is still parsing out what the heck can we really do about this?
“I would say people should not expect we’re going to fix the whole problem in one meeting,” Scott added. “This is a multi-year effort.”
The committee will again hear testimony from Rocky Mountain Power, and the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed measures. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Capitol Extension Building in Cheyenne. A live-streaming option will be available.
Separately, the Wyoming Public Service Commission has scheduled three more meetings to hear public comment regarding Rocky Mountain Power’s $50.3 million energy cost adjustment and its $140.2 million general rate case.
° Monday, September 18, 2023, in Riverton at the Central Wyoming College’s Health and Science Building (Room No. 100) located at 2660 Peck Avenue, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
° Monday, September 25, 2023, in Laramie at the Laramie Municipal Operations Center located at 4373 N. 3rd St., North Platte Conference Room, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
° Thursday, October 12, 2023, in Casper at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building located at 444 W. Collins Dr., Roundhouse Conference Room # 3024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The meetings may also be accessed via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9933449233, or by telephone by dialing 1-669-900-9128 or 1-253-215-8782 (Meeting ID: 993 344 9233).
Comments regarding Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed rate cases can be submitted via email at wpsc_comments@wyo.gov, or mailed to 2515 Warren Ave., Suite 300, Cheyenne, WY 82002.
Larry, The inflation is worldwide in Britain they have the inflation and no jobs. This country has seen inflation before and it is bad things are expensive I got an 8 1/2% increase in Social Security other wages have been going up as well it’s not an ideal economy. However I have never seen so many jobs in my life Americans are working unemployment is very low that’s the reality of the Biden economy. The border crossings are high because they all know there is work here for more work than when Trump was in
A comprehensive study of the cost of living in Wyoming is much needed. A stagnant minimum wage, out of control medical costs, opportunistic rent gouging, gas prices that rise and fall without prediction, groceries as high or higher than anywhere in the region (and about to go up, thank you Kroger merger), — who can blame PacifiCorp for wanting a piece of the Wyoming boondoggle pie? Until industry and business is brought into check in this state, Wyoming’s working families will continue to absorb the blows. The legislature has much more to fix than utility rates, but at least this issue has given them all pause to care about the people of Wyoming, if only in the months before they all begin their reelection campaigns…..wouldn’t that be awful if the rates went up right when voters went to the polls?
Tasmin. What exactly would that study gain or be of use. By time it competed it would be out of date. Aug inflation was 3.7% I believe it was. Sept inflation is still growing at that rate or more. Inflation is going to grow. Biden & Congress continues to print money. Illegal immigration continues to grow and continues to be burden on cities where they wind up at. Wages will be pressured to go down. The illegals have a “black” or underground economy. That will grow. That economy is untaxed. You me other taxpayers will bear the brunt of it. Say what ya all want to but that the stark reality of the Biden Times.
It seems clear to me renewables have came along way and are now sometimes cheaper than fossil fuel. And the legislators can keep Wyoming in the past and keep hoping that coal oil and gas lead the way and pay the bills but like it or not nothing stays the same and it’s not about money when it comes to renewables The whole idea is to save our environment if we lose our environment humans will not survive there are some that know more than a climatologist but it’s clearly a hotter planet and according to scientist it is due to burning fossil fuels so we can’t say it’s cheaper and better for the state to burn fossil fuels when we’re at risk of losing our environment
Typical right-wing conservative short-sightedness. They don’t accept the utility’s assessment because it doesn’t fit in with their fossil fuel donors’ interests? Moratorium on wind and solar to limit competition to same donors? It would seem to me that the state should be encouraging the utility to help the public install rooftop solar to help forestall future capital generating investment. Interesting…
It’s a shame our state has provided for the nation for so many years, and now they, the other states, want to charge the people of Wyoming for power that is Still benefiting Them! Where does it end?
As older Wyoming citizen,and rancher we are strongly apposed this increase. We sell based on packers, do own maintenance, building or repair work to save money. Have increased repair as well as taxes I will not pay Montana or Washington state problems.
Tell your grandkids about the days of cheap electricity. Gone are the days we can afford to cool/heat our homes and still have money left over to go to movie. Tell them the story of how the world went GREEN under Grifter Biden. All the GREEN went into his pocket.
Hyperbolic partisan nonsense. Do better Larry….
Mr. Davis and all. It not hyperbolic. It the facts. You just bury your head in the sand. We had cheap electricity. Now. All these wind farms/solar farms are built by private companies. They have investors/stock holders who profit off the reselling of electricity to the utility companies. They are in bizzness to make money. So price goes up. We the end users pay for all this. The folks building these renewables are not in it for Charity work. Get ready fools. Utility bills will escalate more. This just tip of the ice burg on bills. Google how large a solar farm or wind turbine farm has to be to equal one coal fired power plant. You want nuclear plant? Guess who or what country makes the fuel rods for nuke plants? If you guessed RUSSIA! Bingo you got a winner!!!! Now then Rods are 10-15 years out. If you order TODAY! Being short sided in this is bad plan!
This committees’ proposed solution sounds rather like the Salem Witch Trials’ test for those accused of being witches. Tie rocks around them and throw them into water. If they sink and drown—innocent. If they float—guilty; burn at stake. Nobody is listening, nobody wins, the woeful ignorance of those leading the witch hunt is outed, and we are left now with further energy concerns because the rates will still go up and access to renewables will be further restricted.
the legislature’s job is to protect the industries that are economic
drivers of wyoming’s economy.
these industries like coal,gas,oil,have a long record of providing much
needed energy to the state.
energy production is a for-profit entity,consumers have ways to mitigate their energy consumption.