Puget Sound Energy ha presentado una solicitud de plan tarifario de tres años ante la Comisión de Servicios Públicos y Transporte de Washington (UTC). Si la UTC las aprueba, las nuevas tarifas entrarían en vigor a principios de 2027
.Este plan tarifario permite a PSE continuar suministrando energía segura y confiable a nuestros 1.7 millones de clientes, satisfacer la creciente demanda de energía y seguir avanzando hacia los ambiciosos objetivos de energía limpia del estado de Washington.
¿Qué es un caso de tarifa general?
Un caso de tarifa general es un proceso regulatorio formal en el que Puget Sound Energy solicita autorización a la UTC para ajustar las tarifas de los clientes, lo que suele ocurrir cada pocos años. La Comisión lleva a cabo una revisión exhaustiva e independiente de los costos, las inversiones y las operaciones de PSE para garantizar que los clientes paguen tarifas justas por un servicio de energía seguro y confiable
.¿Por qué PSE presenta una demanda por tarifas generales?
El plan tarifario refleja las importantes inversiones de capital que PSE debe realizar para continuar brindando un servicio seguro y confiable de gas natural y electricidad a los clientes, garantizar la capacidad suficiente para satisfacer la creciente demanda de energía y seguir avanzando hacia los requisitos de energía limpia del estado de Washington.
Mantener y modernizar la infraestructura crítica
- Durante los próximos tres años, PSE necesita invertir más de 3.200 millones de dólares en su sistema de gas y electricidad.
- Aproximadamente el 70% de esa inversión se destina al sistema eléctrico, que está sometido a una presión cada vez mayor. Las inversiones en sistemas eléctricos se centran en la seguridad y confiabilidad del sistema, para satisfacer la creciente demanda de los clientes y fortalecer la infraestructura de PSE para hacer frente a los riesgos de incendios forestales y condiciones meteorológicas más adversas .
- El resto de esa inversión (alrededor del 30%) preserva la seguridad del sistema y mantiene la infraestructura actual para los casi 900 000 clientes de gas natural de PSE.
Invertir en energía limpia y generar recursos para la capacidad
- Según la ley estatal, PSE debe cumplir un hito importante para 2030-2033: proporcionar el 80% de la electricidad a partir de recursos renovables o no emisores. El plan tarifario incluye 11 nuevos proyectos de energía renovable a escala de servicios públicos. Estos proyectos eólicos, solares y de baterías, ubicados principalmente en Washington y Montana, ayudan a cerrar la brecha, pero no cumplen por completo los requisitos estatales .
- El plan tarifario incluye más de 529 millones de dólares en créditos tributarios federales que beneficiarán directamente a los clientes al reducir los costos de los proyectos de nueva generación. Debido a los cambios en la ley tributaria federal, estos créditos están a punto de caducar, lo que hace que sea urgente completar los proyectos rápidamente. Además, los clientes obtendrán un beneficio de 246 millones de dólares en concepto de créditos fiscales para la instalación eólica de Beaver Creek, recientemente finalizada .
- La solicitud también abarca los recursos de capacidad (baterías, turbinas de gas y generación de gas) para garantizar un servicio confiable cuando no brilla el sol y el viento no sopla, y para satisfacer la creciente demanda de energía de los clientes. El
- plan de gastos de capital de PSE para todos los recursos de nueva generación que se están creando para satisfacer la demanda de los clientes y cumplir con los objetivos de energía limpia asciende a más de 3.600 millones de dólares. La recuperación de los costos de estos proyectos se distribuirá a lo largo de décadas .
Inversiones de capital para proporcionar energía segura, confiable y más limpia (2027-2029)
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New resource acquisition: Capital expenditures focus on building new wind and solar generation plants, batteries, and natural gas generation to meet Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) goals and ensure a reliable energy supply as customer needs grow. These investments are critical for PSE to meet the requirement to provide greenhouse gas-neutral electricity for the first four-year CETA compliance period, which begins Jan. 1, 2030, and to support long-term reliability and clean energy access for customers. Operating the gas and electric systems: Capital expenditures include upgrades and modernization of the electric and gas systems, cable replacement, circuit modernization, automation, substation upgrades, and aging infrastructure replacement. These projects reduce outages, shorten restoration times, and strengthen the grid’s resilience to storms and other threats, ensuring customers receive safe, reliable, high-quality energy service daily. Information technology: Capital expenditures address outdated technology and enhancement of PSE’s operations and customer support. These projects modernize and protect the systems that support PSE’s operations and customer service, enhance cybersecurity, and improve digital workplace tools. By replacing outdated technology, PSE ensures its systems can operate reliably, maintain data security, and deliver a quality customer experience. Existing energy resources: Capital expenditures support the ongoing maintenance, safety, and reliability of existing generation assets, including hydro, wind, and thermal plants. Projects in this area include dam safety upgrades, routine maintenance to prevent failures, and regulatory compliance. These investments help maintain a resilient energy supply, reduce operational risks, and ensure customers benefit from dependable, increasingly clean energy. Transmission, interconnection and reliability: Capital expenditures to support PSE’s long-term transmission planning, interconnection, resilience and reliability. Customer operations: Capital expenditures support strategic investments in customer engagement and service capabilities, including improving specialized customer support for small and large businesses, facilitating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) such as solar, storage, and managed charging, as well as pole services, among others. These investments will help the company improve customer service, meet regulatory obligations, and support economic development in the communities we serve.
What are the customer impacts?
If the request is approved by the UTC, a typical residential electric customer using 800 kWh per month would see a monthly bill increase starting in early 2027 of approximately $28, about $7 in 2028 and nearly $16 in 2029. A typical natural gas residential customer using 64 therms per month would see a monthly bill increase of about $14 in early 2027, about $4 in 2028 and nearly $5 in 2029.
Proposed changes by service schedule:
Electric
| 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule | RY1 | FY2 | RY3 | |
| Residential | 7 (307) (327) | 16.75% | 3.76% | 8.81% |
| Sec Volt Gen Svc | 08 (24) | 13.69% | 3.64% | 8.46% |
| Sec Volt Gen Med Dem Svc | 7A (11) (25) | 13.17% | 3.72% | 8.53% |
| Sec Volt Gen Lg Dem Svc | 12 (26) (26P) | 13.82% | 3.96% | 8.94% |
| Sec Volt Irrig & Pump Svc | 29 | 12.35% | 3.90% | 8.74% |
| Pri Volt Gen Svc | 10 (31) | 11.93% | 3.86% | 8.73% |
| Pri Volt Irrig & Pump Svc | 35 | Proposing to close | ||
| Pri Volt Intr Elec Sch | 43 | 13.64% | 4.01% | 9.15% |
| High Volt Intr Svc | 46 | Proposing to close | ||
| High Volt Gen Svc | 49 | 6.28% | 3.99% | 8.50% |
| Retail Wheeling | 448 - 459 | 4.73% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Special Contracts | SC | -12.49% | -2.04% | -3.06% |
| Area & Street Lighting | 03, 50-59 | 32.11% | 3.53% | 9.07% |
| Transportation Electrification | 558 | 31.56% | 3.48% | 8.93% |
Gas
| 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule | RY1 | FY2 | RY3 | |
| Residential | 23,53 | 13.32% | 3.04% | 3.47% |
| Residential Gas Lights | 16 | 13.64% | 4.00% | 4.73% |
| Commercial & Industrial | 31 | 16.84% | 3.62% | 4.13% |
| Large Volume | 41 | 10.71% | 2.57% | 2.95% |
| Interruptible | 85 | 7.17% | 1.71% | 2.06% |
| Limited Interruptible | 86 | 7.43% | 1.48% | 1.66% |
| Non-exclusive Interruptible | 87 | 6.56% | 1.81% | 1.68% |
| Commercial & Industrial Transportation | 31T | Proposing to close | ||
| Large Volume Transportation | 41T | 22.69% | 3.53% | 3.97% |
| Interruptible Transportation | 85T | 20.24% | 4.10% | 4.53% |
| Limited Interruptible Transportation | 86T | 15.36% | 5.37% | 4.85% |
| Non-exclusive Interruptible Transportation | 87T | 26.31% | 4.82% | 5.76% |
| Exclusive Interruptible Transportation | 88T | 16.50% | -6.08% | 0.00% |
| Contracts | - | 5.17% | 13.52% | 15.52% |
What is PSE doing to keep costs down?
We recognize the strain that higher bills put on families and local businesses and that our customers depend on us to provide an essential service. We take that seriously and recognize our responsibility to keep costs as low as possible.
We do that through:
- Managing our operating costs: PSE has lower operations expense per customer compared to utilities in the same region and of comparable size
- Spreading the costs of large capital projects across decades to reduce customer bill impacts
- Participating in wholesale energy markets to reduce power costs
- Expanding energy efficiency and programs that reduce system demand, offsetting the need to acquire power to serve our customers, especially when demand spikes and prices are high
Additionally, we look to leverage tax credits to lower costs. The rate plan includes $529 million in federal tax credits that will directly benefit customers by reducing costs of new generation projects. Due to changes in federal tax law, these credits are expiring, creating an urgency to complete projects quickly. In addition, customers will see a benefit of $246 million from tax credits on the recently completed Beaver Creek Wind Facility.
I’m struggling to pay my bill. What can I do?
We are here to help. We have programs to help customers save money and energy, and bill assistance for customers who are struggling to make ends meet.
Learn more and get started at pse.com/gethelp.
How can I learn more and get involved?
To view the full case documents and see opportunities for public comment, visit the UTC’s website.
