CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Pacific Power today filed a pass-on application with the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) to recover increased net wholesale purchased power costs to serve Wyoming customers. The utility has requested that the PSC issue a notice and order 30 days after the filing. Any rate recovery approved through the pass-on application will provide a direct dollar-for-dollar reduction to the revenue increase requested in Pacific Power’s pending general rate case, filed with the PSC in October.

The requested pass-on amount of approximately $16.1 million represents an overall annual revenue increase of about 4.4 percent which, upon approval, would be distributed equally among all rate schedules. The average Pacific Power residential customer in Wyoming would see an increase of approximately $2.44 per month. Even with approval of both the pass-on application and pending general rate request, Pacific Power’s Wyoming rates will still rank among the lowest in the Western U.S.

“It is essential that Pacific Power be allowed to recover its prudently incurred costs in order to continue the utility’s key priorities of providing safe, reliable and affordable power to our Wyoming customers, while maintaining the financial health of our business going forward,” said Bob Tarantola, Wyoming vice president for Pacific Power.

This application is very similar to pass-on applications routinely processed by the PSC for most of the natural gas, rural electric cooperative, investor-owned electric and water public utilities that provide utility service in Wyoming. Pacific Power rates in Wyoming have not increased in more than a year, since a pass-on agreement for recovery of net wholesale purchased power was approved in September 2004. 

Through this application, Pacific Power is not requesting recovery of total net power costs or other net power cost components directly under the company’s control. Pacific Power has incurred increased net wholesale power costs due primarily to volatility of resources, market prices and changes in its retail load. This application was filed under a provision in PSC rules that allows for recovery of wholesale costs not under the commission’s jurisdiction.

“Wyoming law requires that our rate relief applications go through a very thorough review process, and the end result is in the hands of the Wyoming Public Service Commission,” said Tarantola. “We expect that the commission will act fairly and responsibly in making its decision, and we’re hopeful for a positive and timely outcome.”

Media inquiries: newsdesk@pacificorp.com