Yakima Valley residents speak against proposed Pacific Power rate increase
At least two Yakima Valley residents have gone on the record to oppose PacifiCorp’s plans to increase its electric service rates in 2026.
The overall proposed rate increase for all levels of electric service would be 2.9%, the company stated in a letter sent to Yakima County customers.
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission hosted a virtual public comment session on the rate increase request on Tuesday night, and the only two participants giving sworn statements were from Yakima County.
An average residential household using 1,200 kilowatt-hours a month would see a $10.43 monthly bill increase. Revenues could increase by $33.9 million, or 7.9%, the commission stated in a news release.
Shawn Phelps, a Yakima County customer and member of the Union Gap Irrigation District board of directors, said the proposed increased would hurt both agricultural and residential customers.
Phelps noted both his home and farm electrical bills in 2025 have increased by 41% from the previous year, much more than previously expected. An additional increase would make the unplanned burden of higher electric bills even worse, he said.
“People are paying a lot for electricity now and that’s burden” for farmers and residential customers, Phelps told the commission.
Pacific Power said the proposal eliminates coal generation entirely in compliance with the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, allocates additional wind generation and dedicates 100% of the Chehalis natural gas generation facility to Washington state.
Jesse Torres, who said he was a lifelong Yakima Valley resident, questioned if Pacific Power’s proposed increase was due to statewide mandates seeking to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
“I believe that fossil fuels are very, very important,” Torres said. “The state of Washington using fossil fuels along with green energy is a way to bring the price of electricity down for people.”
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Rate increase details
In April, PacifiCorp filed documents with the commission to update its electric service, prompting the public hearing to give customers a chance to comment on the proposal.
In the filing, the company said it is “mindful of affordability considerations,” and used a cost-allocation formula to limit the rate increase.
If approved, the updated rates would take effect Jan. 1.
PacifiCorp is a Portland-based energy company owned by Berkshire-Hathaway Energy. Its Pacific Power division provides electrical service to more than 137,000 customers in southcentral and southeastern Washington.
Brian Rybarik, chairman of the WUTC, said additional comments on the PacifiCorp rate increase may be submitted by phone, via email or in writing through Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Public comments on the proposal can be submitted online, by phone at 888-333-9882, via email at comments@utc.wa.gov or by mail to P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250.
Rybarik said public comments received through the Dec. 9 deadline will be compiled by commission staff within the next week, by Dec. 16.
The WUTC directors have an open meeting at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 23, where the PacifiCorp rate request could be considered for approval.
For more information, visit the state utilities commission website at utc.wa.gov, click on the “Documents and Proceedings” tab, then scroll down the list of Current Proceedings, Utility Hearings and click on PacifiCorp Revised Tariff, Docket UE-250224.