In Washington state, families could see their electricity bills climb by nearly 30 percent over the next three years if a major utility gets its way. Now, a coalition of climate and community groups is fighting back, urging regulators to reject the rate hikes and push Puget Sound Energy toward cleaner, cheaper options instead.
Puget Sound Energy, Washington's largest utility, has asked state regulators to approve rate increases of almost 30 percent for electricity and nearly 20 percent for gas. The company also wants to lock customers into new contracts for gas power plants. But consumer advocates say that's the wrong direction.
Represented by the legal group Earthjustice, a coalition of environmental and social justice organizations filed testimony this week with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the state agency that oversees utility rates. The groups want regulators to protect families from rising bills while holding PSE accountable to the state's clean energy laws, which require utilities to reduce climate pollution over time.
Julian Santos, who works on climate and clean energy issues for Washington Conservation Action, said rising energy costs are a growing burden for families across the state. "To keep customer bills in check, Puget Sound Energy must refrain from further investments in dirty, expensive, and inefficient gas plants," Santos said. He pointed to PSE's connection to the TransAlta Centralia Plant, a coal-fired facility, as an example of the kind of infrastructure that should be phased out.
Lauren McCloy, who directs utility and regulatory policy for the NW Energy Coalition, said PSE is bypassing rules designed to keep energy affordable and asking customers to pay for expensive new gas plants while cheaper, cleaner options exist. "The clean energy transition has already proven to be a good deal for PSE customers," she said.
The groups are specifically urging regulators to reject PSE's proposal to sign a 17-year contract for a gas-fired power plant, plus two other gas "peaker" plants, which only run during times of high demand. The advocacy organizations say these contracts would cost customers billions of dollars and do nothing to help PSE meet Washington's clean energy requirements.
Instead, the groups want PSE to launch a program encouraging building electrification, which would help customers switch from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric heat pumps. Heat pumps are more efficient and produce less pollution than burning gas.
Aqsa Mengal, who leads climate work for the organization Front and Centered, said the clean energy transition must benefit communities that have historically been harmed by fossil fuel pollution. "Clean and affordable energy must reach frontline communities," she said.
Robin Everett of the Sierra Club was blunt about the path forward. "Washington needs PSE to move decisively toward a clean, affordable, electrified energy future," Everett said. The coalition intervened in the rate case, she added, to ensure PSE pursues every cost-effective clean energy option before spending more money on its aging gas pipeline system.
The testimony also called on regulators to protect low-income customers, including continuing bill discounts and installation assistance programs. The groups want PSE to maintain protections that prevent disconnection during difficult economic times.
Regulators are now reviewing the testimony as they decide whether to approve PSE's rate proposal. The outcome could shape not only household bills but also Washington's progress toward its clean energy goals.