utilities

Most states have “winter protections”, meaning a utility company can't shut off power when the weather is below a certain temperature. But less than half of states have similar “summer protections.” And utility rates have risen almost $300 more than they were a decade ago.

Have you noticed your electric bill going up? Well, there are a lot of reasons why – everything from a volatile fossil fuel market to extreme weather to efforts to save Wyoming’s coal industry. So state lawmakers are proposing several bills for the upcoming budget session. They aim to keep rates affordable and electricity reliable. But, some say these efforts are making it more confusing

Rocky Mountain Power serves about 144,000 customers in the state – it’s the largest public utility in Wyoming. And earlier this year it requested two rate hikes to its customers – one of which has been partially approved by the Wyoming Public Service Commission, the state entity in charge of regulating utilities. Dustin Bleizeffer is an energy reporter for WyoFile and has followed the issue closely. He spoke with Wyoming Public Radio’s Caitlin Tan about what this all means.

The hearings for a potential utility rate hike wrapped up. If approved, it’d be one of the largest increases in state history and many say they can’t afford it.

About 75 listened in and more came in person for the first day of the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s (WPSC) hearing on a huge rate hike proposal from the largest public utility in Wyoming.

A major electric utility in the state is proposing rate hikes for customers – potentially increasing by almost 30 percent – and at a recent meeting the public was extremely opposed.

Some of the largest utility companies in the Mountain West are increasing electricity rates as they grapple with inflationary pressures and weather disruptions.

One of the main utility companies in the state is proposing to increase their rates again. This comes after Wyoming customers saw rate hikes just a few months ago. WyoFile’s energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer has followed the issue and spoke with Wyoming Public Radio’s Caitlin Tan.

As the West grapples with a long-running drought, a new report suggests states across the region can be doing a lot more to improve water efficiency and conservation.

Many states introduced moratoriums to protect residents from having their utilities shut off for non-payment during the early days of the pandemic. But...