Amy Dominguez, amy.dominguez@sierraclub.org
Salt Lake City, UT – Today, dozens of Utahns gathered at the Marmalade Branch Library for The People’s Hearing – a public forum hosted by Utah Needs Clean Energy (UNCE) in response to the Utah Public Service Commission’s (PSC) refusal to hold a public hearing on the latest phase of Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed rate increase.
At the event, community members, advocates, and local leaders voiced their opposition to Rocky Mountain Power’s attempt to shift unnecessary costs onto ratepayers. Speakers highlighted how the utility is seeking approval to charge Utahns for increased liability insurance costs tied to wildfires caused by its parent company, PacifiCorp, and its tactic to weigh customers down with rising coal costs despite the availability of cheaper, more stable clean energy alternatives.
In December 2024, community members attended a PSC public comment hearing to raise concerns about Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed increases. However, with the latest phase of the case being merged into other dockets, ratepayers were denied a dedicated public hearing—prompting UNCE to organize the event.
The Commission will be issuing its decision in the coming months.
During the hearing, speakers shared personal stories about the burden of rising electricity bills and the need for greater investment in affordable, clean energy.
“Rocky Mountain Power’s rate hike is a direct result of its refusal to move away from coal, whose cost has become more unpredictable,” said UNCE volunteer Chris Durtschi. “Their own leadership has admitted that generation sources that don't require fuel provide more price stability, yet they continue prioritizing coal – forcing ratepayers to cover the cost of their bad bets. On top of that, burning coal worsens air quality, droughts, and wildfires, which then drive up insurance costs – costs that Rocky Mountain Power now wants us to pay for. It’s time for the PSC to step in and demand a real transition to affordable, clean energy."
“Burning coal is expensive, and yet we’ve been sold the lie that it’s our only affordable option,” said UNCE volunteer Emma Verhamme. “If rates need to increase by 30% to keep these plants running, that’s proof it’s not true. I’m asking the PSC to stand up for the ratepayers and put the financial burden of Rocky Mountain Power’s refusal to retire coal plants back where it belongs – on the billionaires who profit from these reckless decisions. Utahns shouldn’t be forced to pay for a failing energy model when cleaner, more affordable alternatives are right in front of us.”
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