PSE’s rates are designed to recover costs to provide safe and reliable energy and to provide clean energy in compliance with Washington state law. PSE is an investor-owned utility that is regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). Any changes to our rates must undergo a careful review process with UTC before they go into effect. The UTC determines if the rates we charge are fair and reasonable.  

In general, you are billed for the energy you use, and the infrastructure to get it to you. Just like our roads and highways require regular maintenance and expansion, so we can have better, safer, and more secure roads and highways, we need continuous investments in the energy supply and distribution network to increase resiliency, reliability, and to connect more resources to modernize our system and meet energy demand.  

• It’s costing more to buy more power. The regional power market is increasingly constrained for a number of reasons: the retirement of the region’s coal fired generation; increasing electric demand from population growth, electric vehicle adoption and growing large load needs; and in recent years, changing climate patterns that reduce the availability of the region’s hydropower generation.  

• Transmission costs are going up. The network of transmission lines that carries electricity from power plants to your neighborhood is managed by the Bonneville Power Administration(BPA). BPA raised its rates by over 24% at the end of 2025. 

• Implementation of state clean energy laws. Washington state has some of the most ambitious clean energy laws in the nation. These require significant new investment in clean energy resources and retirement of traditional lower-cost dispatchable generation. There are also compliance costs related to Washington’s Climate Commitment Act impacting both gas and electric customers.  

• The federal landscape has changed. Recent federal changes related to clean energy tax credits and federal infrastructure investment will further exacerbate cost implications.  

• Maintaining a safe and reliable system, especially in the face of more extreme weather. Upgrades to our infrastructure to ensure safety and reliability are impacted by increasing materials and labor costs. At the same time, we have to build our system to withstand more extreme weather, including the risk of wildfire.  

Our gas and electric rates can change several times a year. Changes in rates could be the result of:  

• Multi-year rate plans – These rate plans typically span two to three years and help recover large investments made on our customers’ behalf, such as new transmission or distribution projects and upgrades to or new generation facilities, as well as ongoing costs to maintain a safe and reliable electric and gas system. This typically goes through an 11-month review process with the WUTC and includes a public comment period where the public can provide feedback.  

• Commodity and program-related filings - Throughout the year, we also have a number of commodity and program-related filings that may adjust prices up or down based on program budgets or cost fluctuations. These can reflect the cost of purchasing power or natural gas on behalf of our customers, recover costs related to things like our low-income programs or energy efficiency programs, adjustments related to taxes levied on utility services, and other Commission approved costs. PSE does not profit from the electricity or natural gas that it purchases on behalf of its customers.  

Visit our website to see proposed rate changes that are pending review and approval by the WUTC -  PSE | Pending UTC Filings 

We understand that bill increases are hard on local businesses and families. We’re committed to offering our customers a wide range of choices, tools, and tips to help manage energy usage and bills. Learn more about our program offerings at pse.com/gethelp.