Wyoming Regulatory Information
This section contains rules/regulations and tariff schedules that are currently in effect. PacifiCorp seeks to keep this information accurate and current. However, the only tariffs that are actually in force are on file with the Wyoming Public Service Commission.
Price Summary
Advice filings, applications and associated testimony & selected exhibits filed by the company and submitted to the Commission for approval can be found in this section. Information in this section is organized by Docket Number and/or Advice Number.
| Filing # | Filing Title |
|---|---|
« Return to Regulatory Filings list
Docket 20000 381 EA 10
Application for Approval of Amendments to the Revised Protocol Allocation Methodology
- 09/15/10 Amendments to the Revised Protocol Allocation Methodology
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Andrea L Kelly Application and Petition for Protective Order Gregory N Duvall Steven R McDougal
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Docket 20000 383 EA 10
Application for Approval of Adjustment to the Demand-Side Management Plan
- 09/28/11 Compliance Filing
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WY 20000-383-EA-10 Compliance Filing 9-28-11
- 04/20/11 Rebuttal Testimony
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WY 20000-383-EA-10 Rebuttal Testimony 4-20-11
- 11/01/10 DSM Improvement Plan Testimony and Exhibits
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WY 20000- DSM Improvement 11-1-10
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Docket 20000 EA 11
Application for Approval of a CPCN to Construct the Selective Catalytic Reduction System, Pulse Jet Fabric Filter System and Related Upgrades for Naughton Unit 3
- 09/16/11 Application Direct Testimony and Exhibits
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1 Cover Letter 2 Application 3 Petition for Conf Treatment 4 Chad A Teply 5 Rick T Link REDACTED
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Docket 20000 405 ER 11
2011 General Rate Case
For nearly 100 years, Rocky Mountain Power has provided safe, reliable and competitively-priced electric service, and we appreciate the opportunity to serve you, our Wyoming customers.
For all electricity makes possible in our homes, businesses and communities, it continues to be a very good value. Over the next decade, however, prices will unavoidably increase primarily due to growing electricity use by Wyoming customers and environmental regulations. This is happening in many areas across the nation.
Rocky Mountain Power is committed to remaining a low-cost electricity provider, controlling expenses and helping customers to save money by using electricity efficiently. Working together, electricity in Wyoming can remain a good value now and into the future.
Price Increase Request
We’ve asked the Wyoming Public Service Commission for a price increase that, if approved, would likely go into effect in October of 2012. These higher costs result from investments that are part of our 10-year plan and directly benefit Wyoming customers. They are necessary to maintain safe and reliable electric service in compliance with all environmental regulations, to obtain resources to meet growing electricity use in Wyoming and to sustain quality of life, economic development and long-term competitive prices.
We recognize that no one likes price increases. When we build anything, from the smallest neighborhood power line to our largest power plants and transmission lines, it’s only because our customers truly need it. We must be able to demonstrate to utility regulators that these decisions are prudent and the best value for our customers.
More than half of the costs included in this price increase request are related to producing electricity. The other major items include cost increases for environmental controls at coal-fueled power plants, new substations and other projects to maintain the electrical system. This price increase request does not include any new company-owned wind projects or major transmission lines.
If approved, the overall price increase for residential customers would be 8.8 percent. For an average customer, the increase would amount to about $6 more per month. Most residential customers with lower electricity use would see lower percentage increases.
Requested price increases vary for different types of customers, based on our costs to serve them. For commercial customers, increases would range between approximately 8.6 to 12.8 percent. For irrigation customers, increases would range from approximately 7.3 to 8.6 percent. For large industrial customers, increases would range from approximately 9.6 to 12.5 percent.
Electricity use by our Wyoming customers as a whole continues to increase. In fact, overall electricity use by our Wyoming customers has grown by nearly 18 percent over about five years. This type of growth contributes to higher costs because it requires significant investment in our electrical system and energy resources to ensure continued safe and reliable service.
As always, these price requests are subject to thorough, public review before any price change can take effect.
- Proposed price changes by customer class
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Customer Class Proposed Percentage Change Residential 8.81% (on average) General Service
Schedule 25 (Small Commercial)
Schedule 28 (Large Commercial
12.75%
8.59%Large General Service (Industrial)
Schedule 33
Schedule 46
Schedule 48T
11.60%
9.60%
12.47%Irrigation
Schedule 40
Schedule 210
7.33%
8.64%Public Street Lighting Schedules (Average) 0.30% Overall 10.36% - Costs related to coal resources
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Higher costs related to our coal-fueled resources are a large part of this request. With increasingly stringent environmental regulations, we’re spending many millions of dollars each year on new equipment to reduce power plant emissions and remain in compliance. We’re also replacing expiring long-term contracts for the coal used to generate electricity, at today’s much higher prices.
Even with these necessary investments, our existing coal-fueled power plants continue to be among our lowest-cost resources for serving customers’ electricity needs. Our four coal-fueled plants in Wyoming (Jim Bridger, Dave Johnston, Naughton and Wyodak) are important to Wyoming’s economy and local communities because of the jobs, tax revenues and reliable, low-cost energy they provide.
- Diversifying our resource mix to reduce future price risks
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We continue to diversify our energy resources to avoid risks that could lead to even higher prices for customers in the future, such as the potential regulation of carbon emissions.
The company’s wind projects and transmission lines are for the purpose of serving our customers in Wyoming and other parts of our service area. They are NOT being constructed to sell renewable energy to southern California at a profit or solely to comply with the renewable energy requirements of other states. Customers in each state pay only for what they use from these system resources, and Wyoming customers are not being asked to bear more than their fair share of the costs.
This price increase request does not include any new company-owned wind projects or major transmission lines.
- Improving service reliability
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Our customers deserve reliable electric service and we are investing additional dollars and working hard to improve reliability in areas where our systems have underperformed. We’ve allocated an additional $7.1 million dollars in Wyoming to address system reliability. This spending is over and above the regular maintenance budget deployed each year. We’re also working with communities to address specific concerns.
Similar to road construction, there may be occasional power interruptions in some areas where system improvements are taking place because of temporary changes in how power is delivered during construction. We do what we can to avoid these interruptions and provide advance notice for all planned outages. In the end, these system improvements will result in a better, more reliable electrical system for Wyoming customers.
- Saving money through energy efficiency
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We want to help customers minimize the impacts of price increases by using our proven energy efficiency programs to save money. Visit our wattsmart website for information about revamped energy efficiency incentives available for Wyoming customers. There are programs for residential customers as well as businesses.
- Programs to assist customers with electricity bills
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We encourage customers to contact us at the first sign of trouble in paying their electricity bill. We have programs to help equalize or extend bill paying, and can provide information about energy assistance programs available for qualifying customers. Call anytime, toll free at 1-888-221-7070.
Together, Rocky Mountain Power, our employees and customers in Wyoming can support Energy Share of Wyoming to help residents who need assistance in paying their energy bills. Funds are administered by The Salvation Army. Separately, customers can also choose to help pay the electricity bill of a friend or neighbor in need.
- Controlling our costs
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We recognize the economic stress our customers, our communities, our region and our nation are experiencing, and we will continue to hold down costs within our control. Between 2006 and 2010, we reduced our own administrative costs by more than 32 percent. We are delivering higher quality service, and our employees are doing more with less.
Now more than ever, electricity powers everything we do. It’s what sustains our quality of life and propels economic prosperity for the future. While prices are going up everywhere, we’ll continue to work with customers, utility regulators and others to ensure electricity in Wyoming remains a good value now and in the future.
Online Resources
Energy efficiency programs
Energy efficiency tips and tools
Financial assistance
Business Solutions Toolkit
Rates and regulation
For questions, please email or call us anytime, toll free at 1-888-221-7070 (residential) or 1-866-870-3419 (business).
