Public invited to comment on Avista’s rate request

Source: media@utc.wa.gov, October 22, 2019.

– Avista customers will have the opportunity to comment to state regulators on the company’s proposed electric and natural gas rate changes.

WHAT

Public comment hearing on Avista’s proposed electric and natural gas rate change request.

WHO

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission  

WHEN and WHERE

Monday, Oct. 28

Northeast Community Center                                                                                         

4001 N Cook St.

Spokane, Wash.

6 p.m.

BACKGROUND

In April, Avista filed a general rate case with the commission to request a two-year rate plan for its electric and gas customers. For the first year of the rate plan, the company requested $45.8 million in additional electric revenue and $12.9 million in additional gas revenue. For the second year, the company requested an additional increase of $18.9 million in electric revenues and $6.5 million in natural gas revenues.

The company’s proposed rates would increase the average residential electric customer’s bill by $7.93, for an average monthly bill of $89.14. The company’s proposal would also raise the average residential natural gas customer’s bill by $4.60, for an average monthly bill of $51.

In October, Commission energy staff recommended smaller increases to electric and natural gas rates after reviewing the company’s operating costs and new infrastructure investments.

Under staff’s proposed rates for the first year of the rate plan, Avista’s average residential electric customer using 918 kilowatt hours a month would pay $4.72 more a month, for an average monthly bill of $85.93. Avista’s average residential natural gas customer using 66 therms a month would pay $2.97 more, for an average monthly bill of $49.37.

The three-member commission, which is not bound by the staff recommendation, will make a final decision on the utility’s rate request next spring. New rates would go into effect April 2020.

The commission has received 115 public comments to date on Avista’s rate proposal—114 opposed and one undecided.

Customers who want to comment on the proposed plans can submit comments online at www.utc.wa.gov/comments; write to P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA, 98504; email comments@utc.wa.gov; or call toll-free 1-888-333-9882.

The company last filed a rate case in 2017.

Spokane-based Avista serves more than 250,000 electric customers and nearly 164,000 natural gas customers in Eastern Washington.

The UTC is the state agency that regulates private, investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities in Washington. It is the commission’s responsibility to ensure regulated companies provide safe and reliable service to customers at reasonable rates, while allowing them the opportunity to earn a fair profit.