Wanted: Transparency at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN), which regulates utility companies like NV Energy and Southwest Gas, must consider the daily challenges of Nevadans when making decisions that will directly impact our lives. The PUCN serves as the regulatory body to ensure utility companies operate while serving the public interest of customers and shareholders. 

Last year, I went to the consumer meetings of the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN). At every event, black, brown, and white Nevadans spoke out and stood together against proposed rate hikes by NV Energy because we’re unable to make ends meet with the current cost of living. Despite having everyone stand united to say “No” to this proposal, PUCN approved the increases and plans to implement them this month 

Now, Southwest Gas is going down the same route and asking for increased service costs. Under the Southwest Gas plan, the average monthly bill for a single-family household in Southern Nevada will skyrocket from $60 in 2023 to $101 in 2024. This is an alarming increase of nearly 70%. 

At 34 years old, I’ve been battling liver cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for most of my life. The recent spike in utility rates has added unnecessary stress. I’m cutting down on meals because I can’t afford groceries after paying my monthly utility bills and rent. On top of that, I have high medical bills. My problems mirror what many other Nevadans are also experiencing. 

I went to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) meetings to make my voice heard. Testifying before decision-makers, I explained the harsh realities of choosing between high utility bills and critical medical expenses. My testimony was a rallying cry for justice, resonating with attendees and rallying support for our cause. However, PUCN’s decision to approve the rate hike for NV Energy (and making customers pay for increased NV Energy’s employee bonuses) was profoundly  disappointing, reminding me of the uphill battle ahead. Nevertheless, I refuse to be deterred and demand transparency, accountability, and fairness in our state’s utility regulation. I ask every Nevadan to fight for a more equitable plan. 

NV Energy and Southwest Gas need to transparently share information on how their actions, particularly shutoffs, affect Nevadans. With each new rate increase proposed by NV Energy and Southwest Gas and approved by the PUCN, it becomes more difficult to pay utility bills, forcing us into impossible situations, like choosing between power and groceries. An increasing number of Nevadans are at risk of having their power disconnected, yet there is no publicly available information detailing how many are affected. This underscores the urgent need for legislation to address these issues and to end the corporations’ lack of transparency regarding such a basic necessity. 

Nationwide, utility disconnections are rising at an alarming rate, and in Nevada, utility agencies are not even required to collect and report data on how many customers are being disconnected. This puts Nevada behind other states, which require reporting on shutoffs. In fact, some states are going even further to put policies in place to prevent shutoffs in the first place. The Illinois Commerce Commission implemented a new metric for consumer advocates to keep customers connected to essential utility services. In Indiana, a bill is currently moving through the legislature that would prohibit the termination of utility service altogether. These affordability and consumer protection measures can only be put in place when there is data to back them up. 

Nevada desperately needs consumer protection. Nevadans are already complaining to PUCN about NV Energy and the injustice of their higher rates. These complaints reveal separate customers who are expected to pay thousands of dollars and risk shutoffs. Customers have had their services cut off even when they rely on crucial medical equipment. These complaints are the best data to understand the state’s disconnections. 

If you are reading this and facing tough financial decisions because of high energy bills, show up for the next PUCN meeting, register your complaint, and make your voice heard. I can only imagine what it would mean if we did not. We must stand stronger than ever to show these agencies and our representatives that we are the reason that they are in those positions. We demand transparency and accountability for these unfair measures that place profit over the well-being of our families. The battle is not over. We must stand up and fight back to protect our families’ survival.