Public Utilities Commission asks for commissioner salary increase and equipment replacements in FY2026 budget

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission presented its FY2026 budget overview to the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee, asking for a statutory increase to commissioner salaries and one‑time replacement items tied to pipeline safety and information‑technology needs.

Legislative analyst Kellen McGurkin summarized that the PUC operates entirely from dedicated assessments on regulated utilities, with no general fund support. The agency typically maintains a 60 percent cushion of its total appropriation in the primary dedicated fund to manage biannual assessment timing. "PUC annually sets assessments ... that determine how much it will bill out to the utilities it oversees," McGurkin said.

The PUC requested a 5 percent salary increase for the three commissioners, which the governor recommended as a $23,100 ongoing appropriation; commissioner salaries are established in statute (Idaho Code §61‑215) and require a statutory change to alter. McGurkin said the requested increase is at the committee’s discretion.

On one‑time items the commission requested $114,100 from dedicated funds, including $40,500 for a pipeline safety truck, and $73,600 for IT replacement and licensing recommended by ITS — items such as 14 laptops and network switches. The analyst noted the agency’s five‑year personnel fill rate averages about 84 percent and that personnel costs account for roughly three‑quarters of expenditures.

Commission President Eric Anderson, who also serves alongside Commissioners Ed Lodge and John Hammond, said commissioners often travel for regional coordination on transmission and market issues and noted the agency’s role in balancing consumer protection with utility viability. "We are very concerned with proper credit ratings for our utilities ... to make sure that we are doing what we need to do to be appropriate in those calculations," Anderson said, describing meetings with financial firms and regional counterparts.

Committee members asked about document management and records retention; Anderson said the commission has four dedicated administrative staff who manage filings and maintain records dating back to 1913 in a secure room and that the agency has moved to electronic filings where appropriate.

Why this matters: The PUC’s requests affect how the commission is resourced to regulate utilities, carry out quasi‑judicial proceedings, and support pipeline and public‑safety oversight; the commissioners’ salary change requires a statutory amendment to take effect.