Lawmakers pass utility oversight bills after fuel-adjustment charge hike raises concerns
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Summary
Lawmakers passed HB 24-87 and HB 24-88 to strengthen oversight of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation after a CPUC order led to a fuel-adjustment charge increase; legislators called for transparency, independent audits and anti-price-gouging enforcement.
The House approved two bills aimed at increasing oversight of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) following a recent rise in the fuel-adjustment charge (FAC). House Bill 24-87 (independent valuation, procurement modernization and ratepayer protections) and House Bill 24-88 (comprehensive third-party audit, enforceable corrective action plan and public implementation dashboard) were reported favorably by joint standing committees and passed on the floor, with recorded roll calls showing all present voting yes.
Representative Haldan addressed the chamber during miscellaneous business with a detailed reading of CUC and Commonwealth Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) material, stating that "the FAC has now officially increased" and giving figures: CUC stated the FAC rose from 19¢ per kilowatt-hour to 22¢ per kilowatt-hour effective 03/16/2026 after the CPUC lifted a tariff freeze. Haldan said the change equates to roughly a $11.85 increase per month for a 500 kWh customer before taxes and other bill items and called for clearer month-to-month public explanation and stronger oversight.
Other members linked global fuel-price pressures to local rate exposure and urged the attorney general's office and commerce to watch for price gouging at fuel pumps and in retail goods. Supporters of HB 24-87 and HB 24-88 argued the legislation will increase transparency, require independent valuation and audits, and create enforceable corrective-action mechanisms to protect ratepayers.
Why it matters: The FAC affects monthly electric bills and can move quickly when fuel costs rise; a statutory framework for independent audits and a public dashboard is intended to improve accountability and help lawmakers and ratepayers track whether fuel costs are prudent and reconciled correctly.
What happens next: The bills passed the House on first and final reading and will proceed through the legislative process (and implementation steps include independent audits and the creation of reporting and dashboard mechanisms). Lawmakers asked executive agencies to work on consumer protection enforcement in parallel.