Residents, lawmakers and health professionals urge UTC to reject Puget Sound Energy���s three-year rate increase

A standing-room crowd told the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission on Sept. 29 that Puget Sound Energys request for multi-year rate increases should be rejected or drastically scaled back.

Representative Beth Doleo, who said the companys proposal would amount to "rate increases of nearly 29% over the next 3 years," urged commissioners to disallow investments she described as imprudent and to require PSE to evaluate non-pipeline alternatives before passing costs to customers. "Hydrogen should be reserved for only the most hard to decarbonize uses," she said of a company-funded hydrogen blending pilot, adding that ratepayers should not underwrite speculative projects.

The hearing opened with Chair Brian Rybaric reminding attendees that the UTC is operating in adjudicative, listen-only mode and that written comments and a virtual hearing (Oct. 7) will also be part of the evidentiary record.

Speakers from community groups, health professions and small businesses gave specific, local impacts they say will follow from an approval. Dr. Kathleen Saul, who has been a PSE customer for more than 35 years, warned of pipeline safety and air-quality risks tied to hydrogen blending, and health professionals described how higher utility costs have real consequences for patients who rely on medical equipment.

Small-business owners and farmers said rising bills threaten their operations. "This rate increase will absolutely decimate small farms in Puget Sound," said Matt Teller, who described high winter bills despite investments in on-site solar.

Multiple commenters raised financial and governance objections: they questioned a proposed increase in PSEs authorized return on equity from 9.9% to 10.8%, discounted special contracts for large customers (several speakers mentioned Microsoft), and executive pay. "We pay the bills and this proposal guarantees investors more profit while customers shoulder growing hardship," said several speakers in similar testimony.

The UTC took no votes at the hearing. Commissioners closed by noting the hearing is one of multiple opportunities to comment and that all remarks will be part of the formal record for the disputed dockets.