NV Energy customers speak out at Public Utilities meeting
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A new billing change planned by NV Energy is drawing criticism from some customers who worry it could raise costs for households on tight budgets.
NV Energy will begin factoring a customer’s 15-minute peak energy use throughout the day into power bills beginning in January 2027. The change, described as a daily demand charge, prompted some customers to call for more transparency during public comment at Monday’s Public Utilities Commission of Nevada afternoon meeting.
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Tom Dudas, an NV Energy customer, objected to the new charge, saying, “This 15 minute peak power charge? Come on. Give me a break.” Dudas said he has not gotten that break and criticized NV Energy and its parent company, Berkshire Hathaway.
“They start accumulating such massive property, their profits just grow exponentially that if they are not broke up. I do not care who you are, you are going to be a serf and they are the king,” Dudas said.
NV Energy said the commission meeting was not about the daily demand charge, echoing what commissioners said at the meeting. Justin Hopkins, NV Energy’s manager of media relations and communications, said consumer sessions matter because “we get to hear from our customers.”
Hopkins also said the daily demand charge is not a rate increase and that most customers should not see their bills rise.
“We want to make sure that people understand that daily demand is not a rate increase. Most customers are going to see little to no change in their bill. And many are actually going to see a decrease once daily demand takes effect,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins said Nevada’s electricity rates are among the lowest in the country.
“I think it is important to remember that Nevada has among the lowest electricity rates in the country. We are significantly lower than California. We are lower than our western neighbors. Nevada’s electricity rates are about 28% lower than the national average,” he said.
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Despite that, some residents remain concerned the change could lead to higher bills. Dudas said he is worried Gov. Joe Lombardo, whose campaign received $20,000 from NV Energy, is not motivated to address concerns from constituents.
“He has not stood up to have a better and harder look at what Nevada Energy is going to do to the population of lower income, no income, seniors. Nobody is going up in wages in this town,” Dudas said.
The campaign of Joe Lombardo has not replied to a request for comment following that request being sent out after a press conference by his November opponent Aaron Ford earlier today.