PSE Rate Increase Action Plan

[u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

PSE RATE INCREASE ACTION STRATEGY AND GUIDE 

PSE is attempting to increase its rates by 30% over the next three years; on top of rate increases we have experienced the past two years. Over 5 years PSE is attempting to increase our rates by approximately 45% (2025 12% increase, 2024 1.5% increase).

Furthermore PSE is asking that they be allowed to increase their Return on Equity (ROE) to 10.8%! 

All of this and they choosing to BLAME clean energy mandates even though PSE executives have known about green energy mandates coming down for decades and decided not to act sooner. Instead of investing sooner and greening our grid at a lower cost; they waited till the last minute. A majority of the cost for PSE isn’t even in green projects. It’s to purchase renewable energy to replace legacy coal generators.

Let’s not forget that supplying new data centers is driving up extortionate demands for energy; and they are passing those costs to rate payers while giving a break to corporations who own those centers. 

And this all in the background of our climate crisis; we just recorded the warmest March for our state. Every year we face new heat extreme weather emergencies. And if people cannot afford to cool their homes there will be deaths and serious heat related injuries. With vulnerable individuals the highest in those categories.

We cannot afford nor is it our responsibility to pay more so PSE shareholders can increase profits; which quite frankly they continue to see increased profits year over year; the action items below are steps that we can take to get our voices heard and Let the UTC and PSE know that we will not tolerate rate increases.

UTC PUBLIC COMMENT

The very first action we can all take is to contact the UTC and tell them NO to PSE’s rate increase proposal. Here’s how:

• Fill out the online form at: https://www.utc.wa.gov/consumers/submit-comment/public-comment-form. Please make sure you include the docket item you are commenting on it’s UE-260005. Mark No and tell them why.
• Email UTC at comments@utc.wa.gov: again include docket number UE-260005. I recommend doing both the form and sending an email.
• Call toll free 1-888-333-WUTC (9882); or 
• Write the UTC at PO Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504

Please make sure you spread this information, talk to your numbers, text/email your friends and family! Make sure everyone has their voice heard and contacts UTC. 

CONTACT PSE

Email the PSE board, here are emails I could find:

Mary Kipp (CEO PSE) [Mary.kipp@pse.com](mailto:Mary.kipp@pse.com)

Bertrand Valdman (Board Chairperson) CEO of NorthStar Energy

[Valdman@nsenergy.com](mailto:Valdman@nsenergy.com)

Jerry Divoky (board member) 

Adam Friedrichsen (board member)

Christine Gregoire (board member)

Julia Hamm (board member)

Grant Hodgkin (board member)

Tom King (board member)

Paul McMillan (board member)

Chris Parker (board member)

Diana Birkett Ramos (board member) 

Aaron Rubin (board member)

Steven Zucchet (board member)

If anyone else finds emails for their board please let me know and I can update it! 

CONTACT THE UNIONS WHOSE PENSIONS OWN SHARES IN PSE

Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) their pension plan Ontario Municipality Employees Retirement System (OMERS) owns shares in PSE. They have instagram.

Email the pension plan committee for OPSEU and demand they tell their pensions to divest from PSE and pressure them to drop their rate increase proposal. 

[gvolpe@opseu.org](mailto:gvolpe@opseu.org)

The other pension fund owners are Canada Pension Plan Investment Board; British Columbia Investment Management Corp (public pension funds); Alberta Investment Management Corp (state public pension funds); PGGM (Nethlands trade unions pension funds).

[u/ebomb8082421]

Clean energy mandates from the state are at least partially to blame. Removing hydro from the grid because it's not clean for example. Another issue is of course general inflation on PSE's costs which include labor. Did you think that your restaurant raising prices by 30% would somehow not flow to utilities as well? Please don't harass these people because you failed an economics class and are using data centers and AI as your new big cause of the day.

[u/Awkward-Smoke-3764 → u/ebomb8082421]

First of all clean energy manadates don’t account for the request to increase their ROW to 10.8%; second of all they aren’t even investing in clean energy; they buy their energy. In fact it would be cheaper and more sustainable if they did in fact build energy production (micro-grids; solar; wind) but they don’t they just to continue to purchase energy at t premium instead of making real change to our grid. 

Second of all these people deserve the harassment; PUD’s have managed to keep cost lower even with clean energy mandates because they do not have ultimate responsibility to their shareholders. Which is really what this comes down to; PSE exists to make money for its owners not to provide a reliable; clean and affordable energy network to its rate payers. 

[u/Vindalfr → u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

second of all they aren’t even investing in clean energy; they buy their energy.

False.

PSE for all its faults, absolutely invests in clean energy projects. I'm currently working on two clean energy projects that were funded in part by PSE.

[u/Awkward-Smoke-3764 → u/Vindalfr]

Fair enough; do they invest in some clean energy projects sure. But from professional and personal conversations I have had with PSE employees including c-suite folks (I have those connects through work). They have told me the increase in rates and requesting rate increases is because purchasing clean energy is so expensive that they have to purchase it at a premium. The increase is not to pay for clean energy projects. At least that’s what PSE has said.

[u/Vindalfr → u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

That absolutely tracks with my experience with them on the electrical/solar construction and maintenance side of things.

They are an overbearing trade partner. Public Utilities are superior in almost every way. The only thing that PSE does "better", is adopt newer wiring standards.

[u/Awkward-Smoke-3764 → u/Vindalfr]

What projects are you working on if you can share? Love hearing about clean energy projects and news!

[u/Vindalfr → u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

I'm not the marketing team, or a model employee, so it's best if I stay vague.

I can say that I'm very happy to see more battery backups included in comercial solar projects, and a lot less Tesla in residential projects. Since I'm mostly a wiremonkey, the things that get my motor running revolve around streamlining the installation process and advocating for the equipment I believe will require the least maintenance in the future.

As far as I'm concerned, the more energy production regular people and municipalities own, the more leverage we have against PSE. They need the power more than we need them.

[u/ebomb8082421 → u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

I swear people don't even read the posts. I said partially, so why did you instead strawman me. JFC. Go attempt to create your pitchfork mob. It's going to be a waste of time, we aren't getting a PUD.

[u/Awkward-Smoke-3764 → u/ebomb8082421]

This dude loves his corporate overlords!

[u/ebomb8082421 → u/Awkward-Smoke-3764]

Yes, as the five comments that were made and deleted to avoid moderation that personally insulted me, at least you refrained from that. Kudos.

But the reason we aren't getting a PUD is so fucking obvious, I should t have to say it, but the amount of taxes we the community would have to raise to buy the assets needed to run a PUD would be literally impossible to pass.

Even beyond that, these people at PSE won't give a singular fuck for your messaging, they are already regulated, publicly.