During the run-up to the mid-terms, PUC incumbent Chris Nelson threw around wild claims that the PUC couldn’t limit imminent domain, BUT they can limit electric rates, if only they decided to research it and make a decision;
Xcel Energy will increase its electricity rates by 17.9 percent, starting Jan. 1. That’s a jump of $19.60 per month on an average residential customer’s bill. The proposed changes affect 97,500 customers.
The PUC had six months to investigate and make a decision about the rate request before the company implemented it, but the three-member commission will not declare its decision in that timeframe.
That window closes at the end of December. Commission Chairman Chris Nelson said the PUC rarely completes its investigations in six months.
“Once that rate increase was filed with us, our staff immediately began working through the evaluation process,” Nelson said. “That is a very lengthy and complex process.”
SIX MONTHS! C’mon! It is probably a difficult decision to make and takes awhile to research, but while you are dragging your feet thousands of customers are paying a higher rate.
The commission will subsequently have another six months to make a retroactive decision, but meanwhile, the requested rates will go into effect as an interim rate hike.
Seems convenient, doesn’t it?
“But Chris Nelson claimed during the campaign that he was our “trusted voice on the PUC”, but he sounds pretty silent right now”….
“Chris also claimed checkmate in defeating Barth, but it appears the consumers are the real ones actually stuck in a corner right now”….. (…. “I thought Republicans claimed they were going to put a stop to inflation”…. #TrustedVoiceMyAss )…..
The realized inflation rate is 8%. This is more than double that. Unacceptable!
How inconvenient that a regulated utility should present a rate increase that requires consideration through an election season.
Matters not now. We have paper-shuffling career Pierre bureaucrat, Chris Nelson as our “trusted voice on the PUC” until 2029.