Press conference in Las Vegas calls for greater utility accountability amid data-center frenzy and record-breaking utility company profits
Contact: Hector Fong, hfong@planevada.org
NEWS RELEASE
Local leaders are calling on the PUCN to cancel the daily demand charge and add consumer session times
Link to videos, photos (credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for People’s Action), and livestream
LAS VEGAS–Today, local residents, community leaders, faith leaders, seniors, workers, and utility customers are calling for the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to cancel NV Energy’s daily demand charge on residential customers and add public hearing times with residents ahead of this week’s annual PUCN consumer hearing session.
This morning, utility customers brought concerns directly to NV Energy’s corporate headquarters where staff refused to accept a letter calling for the cancellation of the daily demand charge. At a news conference afterward outside the PUCN offices, community members spoke out against rising utility costs and the lack of accountability and public oversight over NV Energy.
“We are standing together against the entitlement of NV Energy, its faceless investor class, and their enablers allowing this utility company to gouge the public that cannot survive without their services,” said Alex Simpson, a father, adjunct professor, and community leader with PLAN. “We are the first state to have their public utility try this, and if they are successful, others will follow.”
As Nevada residents face rising energy bills and extreme heat, communities are escalating demands for action and accountability from the PUCN and NV Energy. Earlier this month, protesters disrupted NV Energy at an electric utility conference at the Fontainebleau on the Las Vegas Strip, calling on the CEO to cancel the daily demand charge.
Local leaders are calling on the PUCN and NV Energy to be transparent in decision-making and allow for meaningful public input in utility regulation.
“Hard working people are suffering under the heat and under the economic pressure from investor-owned utilities and poor leadership,” said Tony Chavez, an environmental advocate with the Alchemical Opus Foundation. “A mother shouldn’t be punished for cooking dinner while the air conditioner keeps her children safe from the heat. A senior in our state shouldn’t have to worry that turning on a few appliances will make their bill jump. Electricity is not a luxury in Nevada–it is necessary for our survival and NV Energy profits off this fact.”
Community opposition led to NV Energy delaying the implementation of controversial new daily demand charges until January 1, 2027. Both the Governor and PUCN could take action to stop the charges from taking effect.
Outside the PUCN, community leaders described the economic hardship and exploitation felt by NV Energy customers being forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying for air conditioning during extreme heat.
“A mandatory daily demand charge imposed on residential customers is unheard of,” said Haley Johnson, Chair of the Environmental Justice Committee for the N.A.A.C.P. Las Vegas Branch. “All of this is made worse by the fact that NV Energy is our only option. We cannot shop around. We cannot switch providers.”
Despite growing concern over rising energy costs, the PUCN has only scheduled one public hearing session on Tuesday, June 16 at 1:30 p.m. Investor-owned NV Energy is also seeking to charge Nevada ratepayers an additional $500 million for wildfire insurance.
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United Ratepayers includes 14 member groups organizing for affordable energy for all; 100% clean, renewable power; reliable power; and accountability and fairness. Across the country, ratepayers are coming together to push back on for-profit utilities and build the energy future we deserve. When we act together, we win.
People’s Action is a proud national network of 38 member-based, power-building organizations in 29 states with more than a million members and tens of thousands of national volunteers. We are from every background, speak many languages, and live in small towns, cities and rural areas. Learn more at https://peoplesaction.org.
The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada was founded in 1994 by Nevada activists to build a more fair and just Nevada that puts people and planet first. We organize with front line communities and directly impacted leaders for policy changes and community investments that improve the lives of Nevadans.