PSE Bills Are About To Get More Expensive: What To Know

BELLEVUE, WA — Western Washington residents will pay more for utilities this fall and winter as Puget Sound Energy implements new rates in November and January. PSE announced the rate hikes Monday, citing “rising natural gas prices, state policy objectives for clean energy, and continued investments in system reliability and safety.”

Natural gas customers will be the first to notice higher rates, which PSE said is the result of sustained increases in wholesale prices. Pending final approvals from the state Utilities and Transportation Commission, PSE said the average residential customer using 64 therms would see their monthly gas bill jump $13, from $75 to $88. That rate would increase another $5 next year and by another dollar in 2024.

The second rate increase, if approved by the UTC, would take effect in January for electric customers, which PSE said follows more than $3 billion in recent improvements and work to meet Washington’s clean energy goals. The typical residential customer could expect to pay an extra $8 next year, followed by a smaller hike of less than $2 in 2024.

Acknowledging record inflation and higher costs virtually across the board, PSE encouraged customers to look into energy-saving programs, from DIY weatherization to smart thermostats and hybrid water heaters. Customers in lower income brackets may also qualify for larger rebates to install energy-efficient upgrades.

"We are making our customers aware of these increases now, to give them time to learn about their options for controlling their energy usage and how to get help paying their energy bills,” said Andy Wappler, PSE's chief customer officer. "We are urging customers to take advantage of our bill assistance and energy efficiency programs to help them manage those higher costs."

The updated rates will include new discounts for low-income customers and seniors, along with enhanced payment assistance and debt forgiveness programs, PSE said.

>> Learn more about payment assistance and energy-saving options on the PSE website.