Salt Lake City hears update on regional community renewable program ahead of Dec. 16 PSC hearings
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Summary
City staff briefed the council on the Utah Renewable Communities program, explaining how the utility partnership with Rocky Mountain Power would work, projected household bill impacts of about $3–$4 monthly, protections for low-income customers and the regulatory timeline tied to Public Service Commission hearings on Dec. 16.
Salt Lake City staff provided the council an informational briefing Dec. 9 on the Utah Renewable Communities (URC) program and the next steps in a Public Service Commission (PSC) docket that could allow participating cities to offer community-scale clean energy to customers.
Glade Sowerds, senior energy and climate program manager, said URC is a coalition of 19 Utah cities and counties that would contract with Rocky Mountain Power to add new renewable generation to the grid that Rocky Mountain Power would own and operate while customers remain Rocky Mountain Power customers. "Once the program launches, you're automatically enrolled in the program, assuming we've adopted the program ordinance with the choice to opt out," Sowerds said.
The administration told the council the PSC has scheduled a technical hearing and a public-witness hearing on Dec. 16, with a commission decision possible in January. If the PSC approves the program, participating cities would have 90 days to adopt a common participation ordinance; that ordinance would opt residents and businesses into URC with an opt-out window.
Staff outlined consumer protections and cost assumptions the URC board has proposed. The board's goal is to limit average household bill impacts to roughly $3–$4 per month. URC would include a monthly bill credit for eligible low-income customers; staff said that eligibility aligns with Rocky Mountain Power's home electric lifeline program (about 150% of the federal poverty level). Sowerds also said the board has proposed longer opt-out windows than the plan currently assumes and urged robust outreach so eligible low-income customers can claim available credits.
Council members pressed for additional analysis on how different opt-in or opt-out rates would affect program stability and household impacts. Council member Dugan encouraged constituents and colleagues to show up at the PSC public-witness hearing on Dec. 16, saying public support would be welcome. Staff said they will return after PSC action with proposed ordinance language and more detailed fiscal modeling.
The briefing was informational only; the council did not take action at the work session. Next steps are the PSC hearings Dec. 16 and, if approved, a city ordinance vote within the statutory 90‑day window.
