How even distant wildfires may make your bills get more expensive

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — As wildfire season becomes increasingly unpredictable, fires burning even far from where you live could cost you money on the bills you pay.

“it’s really unprecedented," said Chris Parker, Director of the Utah Division of Public Utilities.

Rocky Mountain Power has proposed an increase that would raise the average rate for many Utahns by 30%.

The biggest increases Utah has seen in the past equaled as much as $100 million.

“This is nearly $700 million, to give a sense of scale. So it’s a really big increase," Parker said.

Among the major reasons for that proposed increase are the costs connected to wildfires.

“Those have been hugely increasing just in the last two to three years," said Rocky Mountain Power Spokesperson David Eskelsen.

Fire risks have insurance skyrocketing, and have also led to vast amounts of money being spent to protect infrastructure.

“System hardening against wildfires is a significant expense," Eskelsen said.

Beyond that, there are some hugely expensive lawsuits.

All of these different costs have contributed to what power officials argue is a necessity for increased rates that consumers should pay.

“It is pretty shocking, and it’s directly related to the increased risk of wildfire," Eskelsen said.

“I’m hopeful that we won’t see that in Utah," Parker said.

Rocky Mountain Power is owned by PacifiCorp. The company has been ordered in court to pay hundred of millions of dollars to victims who claim the company was negligent in handling wildfires.

And the company is currently facing other lawsuits worth more than $30 billion.

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Officials with Utah's Division of Public Utilities felt these fire based justifications for increases in what you pay could be overblown and based more on fear than on real damage and real cost.

“I think some of the recent decisions have less to do with frequency and scope of fires than they are a public reaction to them," Parker said.

RMP officials said those costs aren't unique to them or to Utah, but that they are happening across the country.

“These are systemic, industry-wide issues," Eskelsen said.

Parker believed it's a different story in Utah where the state has stepped in passing a recent law, SB224, that he said would keep in check what a power company could be forced to pay in a lawsuit.

“Which has some liability protections that limit the scope of liability for the utility," Parker said.

That state public service commission will decide if the proposed power rate increase is approved.

They're taking testimony through the end of the year and are expected to make a decision by February.

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