Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has asked Washington regulators to approve higher electric and gas rates over three years, but the request is not approved. At a September 29, 2026, public hearing in Lacey, many of roughly 100 commenters urged the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to reject the proposal, citing affordability and concerns about the investments it would fund. Here is what PSE is asking for, what customers might pay if the request is approved, and how the case proceeds.
What happened at the PSE rate hearing?
The four-hour, in-person hearing took place September 29, 2026, at the UTC’s headquarters in Lacey. An October 1 report by the South Seattle Emerald, reprinting Washington State Standard reporting, said about 100 people commented and many called on regulators to reject PSE’s proposal. Speakers raised concerns about affordability and the proposed mix of investments. The attendance figure is a reported count, not a survey of Washington residents’ views. South Seattle Emerald/Washington State Standard
What customers and public officials objected to
Comments highlighted the burden on people with low or fixed incomes and customers who depend on electrically powered medical devices. Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, questioned whether the proposed gas investments were necessary and cost-effective, and whether they aligned with Washington’s clean-energy goals. She said, “Washington residents should not have to choose between keeping the lights on and protecting our climate. We can and must do both.”
The report also described criticism of nearly $1 billion in proposed gas distribution system spending and of converting the shut-down Centralia Power Plant to gas generation. Jan Hasselman, an Earthjustice attorney, called the Centralia conversion “a very bad use of ratepayer dollars” and argued that it would conflict with pollution and climate goals. Those are objections raised by named speakers, not findings by the UTC.
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- Adjustable Backlight Time: Our upgraded watt meter has 5 options of backlight time. The default backlight time duration is 10 minutes(bL-0). If you want to change the backlight time, you can press and hold "UP" and "DOWN" button at the same time to enter backlight time setting, then press "UP" and "DOWN" to select the backlight time (bL-0 =10 minutes, bL-1=1 hour, bL-2=4 hours, bL-3=8 hours, bL-4=always on), finally press the "COST" to save the backlight time settings
- Overload protection: When the power of the appliance exceeds the overload power, the LCD will display “OVERLOAD” to warn the user. All the buttons will quit working and can only be workable when you lower or remove the load power. The default overload power is 3680W and is adjustable from 0 to 3680W. In general, you need to set the overload power to 1800W before using. Just press the "function" button for more than 3 seconds to enter the setting
- Data Memory Function: The wattage meter will record your power consumption data when you remove it from socket, or remove appliances from the electricity monitor. You can directly see the last data when you use it next time. This function can also automatically save the data when there is a sudden power failure
How much is PSE asking to raise rates?
The October 1 report described PSE’s requested increases over three years as 29.3% for electricity and 19.8% for gas, and said the company proposed raising its allowed return on equity from 9.9% to 10.8%. PSE’s rate-case page separately lists rounded annual requests for 2027, 2028, and 2029. These figures describe different measures, so the cumulative percentages in the report should not be confused with each individual year’s request or a guaranteed change to a particular customer’s bill.
| Service | 2027 annual request | 2028 annual request | 2029 annual request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | 15.2% | 3.7% | 8.7% |
| Gas | 14.2% | 3.2% | 3.6% |
These are PSE’s rounded annual requested rate changes, not final approved rates. The company says the UTC’s decision may produce different rates. PSE rate updates
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What could the proposal mean for a monthly bill?
PSE offers example increases for typical residential usage, conditional on regulatory approval. They are illustrations based on the stated monthly consumption, not individual forecasts; a customer’s bill can differ with usage and the rates ultimately approved.
| Service and example usage | Early 2027 monthly increase | 2028 monthly increase | 2029 monthly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric, 800 kWh per month | About $28 | About $7 | Nearly $16 |
| Gas, 64 therms per month | About $14 | About $4 | Nearly $5 |
The listed amounts are the expected monthly increase for each specified year in PSE’s examples; they are not a single cumulative bill increase. PSE rate updates
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What does PSE say the higher rates would fund?
PSE says its general rate case seeks to fund more than $3.2 billion in electric and gas system investment over three years. The company describes electric spending as addressing safety, reliability, demand growth, severe-weather resilience, and wildfire risks, and gas spending as maintaining safety and infrastructure. PSE also cites 11 utility-scale renewable projects and capacity resources including batteries, gas turbines, and gas generation. These are the utility’s stated reasons for its request, not an independent UTC determination that the spending is needed or justified.
PSE separately describes a new-generation capital plan exceeding $3.6 billion. That is a different category presented by the company; it should not be added to the $3.2 billion figure as though the two were separate parts of one total. PSE general rate case
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- Various Monitoring Parameters: The power meter plug can monitor the power (W), energy (kWh), volts, amps, hertz, power factor, cost, minimum and maximum power (W), cumulative days and time of your appliances. By switching 7 display modes, you can easily know the various parameters while the appliance is working. The home energy monitor can also calculate and display how much power your appliance uses and how much electricity bill it cost in cumulative time
- Upgraded LCD display: With large screen size 2.36 inch x 1.85 inch, clearer monitor backlit, our electrical usage monitor can display the data clearer and more visible no matter day or night. 180°full wide viewing angles is great for reading and recording the data in any angles. No need to stand on the front of the display and bend over to read the numbers
- Adjustable Backlight Time: Our upgraded watt meter has 5 options of backlight time. The default backlight time duration is 10 minutes(bL-0). If you want to change the backlight time, you can press and hold "UP" and "DOWN" button at the same time to enter backlight time setting, then press "UP" and "DOWN" to select the backlight time (bL-0 =10 minutes, bL-1=1 hour, bL-2=4 hours, bL-3=8 hours, bL-4=always on), finally press the "COST" to save the backlight time settings
- Overload protection: When the power of the appliance exceeds the overload power, the LCD will display “OVERLOAD” to warn the user. All the buttons will quit working and can only be workable when you lower or remove the load power. The default overload power is 3680W and is adjustable from 0 to 3680W. In general, you need to set the overload power to 1800W before using. Just press the "function" button for more than 3 seconds to enter the setting
- Data Memory Function: The wattage meter will record your power consumption data when you remove it from socket, or remove appliances from the electricity monitor. You can directly see the last data when you use it next time. This function can also automatically save the data when there is a sudden power failure
What happens next in the UTC case?
This is a general rate case, in which the UTC reviews a utility’s costs, investments, and operations before deciding what rates to approve. PSE says the review may take up to 11 months, and that final rates may differ from its request. At the October 3, 2026, reporting cutoff, the case remained pending. The October 1 report said commissioners were expected to accept, reject, or modify the proposal in early January; it also listed another virtual public-comment hearing for October 7, 2026. That hearing date was still upcoming at the cutoff.
How to submit a comment
- Open PSE’s general rate case page.
- Follow its link to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission public-comment form.
- Identify the PSE rate case and explain your view or how the proposal could affect you. A comment becomes part of the public input but does not guarantee a particular decision.
Where to find bill help
PSE’s case page links to its bill-help information for customers seeking assistance. Those utility resources may be useful for managing energy costs, but they do not determine the UTC’s decision on the requested rates. PSE rate case and customer resources
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