Letter: NV Energy’s proposed interest rate increase

I am writing to warn residents about NV Energy’s proposed rate increase for Northern Nevada. The proposed nearly tripling of the base rate (from $16.50 to $44.40, a 169% increase) for electricity discriminates against consumers who have spent time and money to reduce their energy use, including residents who have installed solar energy systems or wind farm to improve your home.

Any changes to the rate structure should be designed to achieve the following objectives:

1. Keep the company in good financial condition

2. Promote energy saving

3. Be honest and fair

4. Make development profitable (i.e. not subsidized by existing users)

NV Energy uses a misleading “analysis” that describes the increased cost for a “typical customer” (defined as 759 KWH/month) as only “an increase of $9.84 per month.”

This obscures the fact that those who save energy (my typical usage is about 250 KWH/month in a 2200 square foot home) will face almost DOUBLE their monthly bill.

The proposed plan forces conservative users to subsidize others who do not save.

Worse yet, NV Energy plans to lower its kWh rate, making large users pay even less! Tripling the base rate is unfair and inequitable and the PUCN should reject NV Energy’s proposal.

A new proposal to increase the base rate by 10% ($16.50-$18.50) along with a gradually higher per kWh rate (i.e. those who use more pay more) would be a fair and equitable proposal that would also help encourage energy conservation and renewable energy systems.

Mary Siders

Carson City