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Rocky Mountain Power Asking For Rate Increase

This Would Be Rocky Mountain's Third Increase In Three Years

AARP

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The Big News: Rocky Mountain Power customers in Wyoming will see an increase in their bills of around $8.70 per month if its rate increase request is approved by Wyoming’s Public Service Commission starting in March of 2027. The rate case is complex to understand, but if approved, it would result in a 8.8% rate increase and guarantee the utility a 9.7% return on equity, which is .1% higher than the national rate. The increase would benefit Rocky Mountain Power by more than $70 million.

If you disagree with this increase: Feel free to sign our petition against the increase. The petition will be given to the Public Service Commission during its hearing for the case in December.

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Who is impacted: Rocky Mountain Power serves between 147,000 and 150,000 customers in the Cowboy State. The utility serves all or part of the following counties:

Albany County (Laramie)
Big Horn County (Greybull, Lovell, Basin)
Carbon County (Rawlins, Saratoga)
Converse County (Douglas, Glenrock)
Fremont County (Lander, Riverton)
Hot Springs County (Thermopolis)
Johnson County (Buffalo)
Lincoln County (Kemmerer, Afton)
Natrona County (Casper, Evansville)
Park County (Cody, Powell, Meeteetse)
Sublette County (Pinedale, Big Piney)
Sweetwater County (Rock Springs, Green River)
Uinta County (Evanston, Mountain View)
Washakie County (Worland)

Why this hurts: This is the third increase Rocky Mountain Power has requested in recent years. The Public Service Commission authorized a 5.5% increase in 2024 and another 10.2% in 2025.

When would this take place: If all goes to plan, this rate case would go before the Public Service Commission on Dec. 14, 2026. The increase would take place in two steps, effective March 15 and April 1, 2027, respectively. AARP believes these two requests are too close together.

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Why this is happening: According to Rocky Mountain Power, the request for a higher rate is due to several reasons. Among them are:

A raise to the basic charge for customers from $23 to $25 per month.
Recovery of capital (new infrastructure for bringing power to customers) was approved by the Public Service Commission in 2024.
Increased operations, administrative, and general costs.
Increase in power generation costs.
Major increases in wildfire liability insurance has led to Rocky Mountain Power, the Office of Consumer Advocate, Wyoming Industrial Energy users, and others discussing replacing the need to buy wildfire liability insurance with a Wyoming self-insurance mechanism. That could result in a significant reduction in annual insurance expense paid by Wyoming taxpayers, eventually. But, until that gets done, utility customers will continue to cause rate increases.

Who is Fighting the Increase: AARP Wyoming has already submitted its objections to the Public Service Commission. AARP Wyoming will also give you an avenue to comment and help the Public Service Commission and Rocky Mountain Power understand the impacts of this rate increase on the pocketbooks of older adults. The Wyoming Office of the Consumer Advocate (OCA) will intervene in this case, according to Anthony Ornelas, the OCA’s administrator.

What does AARP think: AARP Wyoming understands the financial impact rate increases have on those on a fixed income. This case gets really complex, really quickly, but there are some things we know: the Rocky Mountain Power basic service charge is higher in Wyoming than in any of the other western states it serves. We aren’t sure why Rocky Mountain charges Wyoming rate payers three times the national average. We also feel that Rocky Mountain is shifting infrastructure and wildfire mitigation costs onto Wyoming ratepayers. It may be time for the state to allow affordability to be a factor the PSC considers when approving rate increases.

What Rocky Mountain Power is telling AARP: “Nothing in this rate case is the result of data centers coming online,” said Rocky Mountain’s Colin McKee. “Our Schedule 400 allows Rocky Mountain Power to go into special contracts on any power loads over 200 megawatts. Those contracts protect existing customers from large loads coming online in a way that doesn’t impact existing customers.”

What comes next: Look for more from AARP Wyoming in the coming weeks, including a way for you to sign a petition against the increase. We will also let you know when Rocky Mountain Power will hold listening sessions and when you can provide public comment.

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