On Wednesday, Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray submitted a public comment to the Wyoming Public Service Commission opposing Rocky Mountain Power’s two proposed rate increases currently before the Commission: its 2023 General Rate Increase Application of $140.2 million per year, and its 2023 Energy Cost Adjustment Mechanism of $50.3 million.
Citing the Secretary of State’s role as the registrar of businesses in the state of Wyoming, Secretary Gray opposed the rate increase as both bad for Wyoming’s citizens, as well as for small businesses, and troubling in light of Rocky Mountain Power’s recent move toward renewable energy and away from Wyoming coal.
“Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed rate increase presents a direct threat to Wyoming by raising the costs of residential, commercial and industrial energy customers,” Secretary Gray wrote.
“The effect of this outrageous increase on Wyoming residential customers would be catastrophic. It would be a double whammy, amplifying the inflation that is crippling us, increasing the costs of goods across the board and also directly through increases in energy costs. In recent weeks, I have fielded calls and emails from small business owners in the state expressing their concern that the rate increases will put them out of business and also cause them to pass their costs directly onto consumers in the form of higher prices. Neither of these outcomes are in the public interest.”
Secretary Gray went on to note his concern that Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed rate increase will force Wyomingites to foot the bill for federal and coastal state environmental policy.
“I remain deeply concerned and troubled that Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed rate increase will force Wyomingites to foot the bill for awful federal and coastal state policies focused exclusively on decreasing emissions and propping up green energy as opposed to reducing rates for its customers.”
Secretary Gray’s public comment can be found here.