Commissioners flag potential Black Hills rate jump, link to state energy mandates

Summary

Fremont County commissioners reported the utility Black Hills sought a previous rate increase and is seeking additional increases that speakers described as approaching 50% by 2029 for parts of the county; commissioners discussed how state energy policy and transition mandates can drive utility costs and urged direct attention to policy authors.

Commissioners reported they learned Black Hills is seeking substantial rate increases that would affect much of Fremont County and discussed policy drivers for those increases.

Kevin Grantham said the county received notice the utility is seeking an increase described in the meeting as "almost 50% increase by 2029," and noted the increase would affect about half of county residents. He said utilities are seeking funding to pay for infrastructure costs tied to state clean-energy mandates.

Why it matters: Commissioners said legislative and executive energy mandates that accelerate retirement of some generation sources can increase costs borne by utilities and ultimately by ratepayers. They discussed other jurisdictions—s experiences and said such transitions can have reliability and cost implications.

What county leaders said next: Commissioners said customers upset over rate requests should direct concerns to state policymakers and that county leaders would continue monitoring PUC filings and utility proposals. No formal county action on the rate request was recorded in the podcast.