Slightly higher rates for Puget Sound Energy customers after correction by regulators
Puget Sound Energy rates will be higher than expected following a recalculation by state regulators, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission said Friday.
“These adjustments result in a small change to customer rates from those originally announced on July 8,” the UTC said in a press release. “Consequently, PSE’s average residential electric customer using 900 kWh a month will see a rate increase of 1.7%, or $1.53 more, for an average monthly bill of $91.63; while the average residential natural gas customer using 64 therms a month will see a 0.91% increase and pay $0.54 more for an average monthly bill of $60.14.”
In a July 8 press release, the UTC had said “PSE’s average residential electric customer using 900 kWh a month will see a rate increase of .05% and can expect to pay $0.04 more, for an average monthly bill of $90.14; while the average residential natural gas customer using 64 therms a month will see a 0.15% increase and pay $0.09 more for an average monthly bill of $59.69.”
The correction, the UTC said, has to do with tax credits. PSE will determine when the increase takes effect.
“Puget Sound Energy filed a request for clarification following the original rate case order, which the commission granted,” the UTC press release Friday said. “In its request, the company stated that the amount used in the commission’s revenue requirement calculation for over-collected tax funds returned to customers was incorrect.”
The release goes on to say: “In its order on the motion, the commission acknowledged the incorrect calculation, but pointed out that this was a result of PSE’s failure to provide precise and sufficient information in response to a request from the commission.”
PSE has more than 1.1 million electric customers — including in Thurston, Pierce and Whatcom counties — and more than 800,000 natural gas customers.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
