Advocacy for Your Utility Rates

THE FACTS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

TWO RESIDENTIAL RATES HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED

In 2022 a group of second homeowners/ vacation rental operators represented themselves as our Tahoe community interests and shifted rates to the permanent resident. Liberty has not been tracking these two rates correctly since purchasing the utility in 2011. Truckee Donner PUD and Bear Valley, also have two rates. The non-residential use increases regional energy demand during peak times, while failing to consistently pay volumetric rates towards transmission and distribution costs during non-peak times when the homes are unoccupied. Flat rates added do not take into account the peak demands and associated wildfire risk contributions including residential energy costs driven by peak demand associated with visitation and the fact that so many of our homes are used more like commercial hotels. Liberty’s own rate study states 60% of homes are used as vacation rentals/second homes. They have not properly noticed the elimination of the non-residential rate.

WILDFIRE INSURANCE GOES FROM $7.962M to $31.706M

Liberty is proposing to increase our utility rates mostly due to wildfire insurance; however, they have refused to provide any insurance bid documents or supporting information as to why this cost has increased to this extent. Wildfire risk is related to lack of maintenance investments and the fact that peak visitor demand increases wildfire risk and the ability of the utility to respond in a timely manner. The current proposal eliminates the non-residential rate and increases the residential rate by 23.1% backdating it to January 2025.

HOW WE PARTICIPATE

We are seeking to formally participate as an Interested Party, TAHOE SPARK (the alliance for housing opportunities in energy supporting permanent affordable residential kilowatts) will work closely with our local governments and the California Public Utility Commission to find a path forward correcting past actions that shifted costs to the permanent residents and a reasonable approach forward assuring each user type pays their fair share. We will actively monitor and respond to emerging challenges as we gather additional information on utility rates to protect our community’s interests. Liberty Utilities is proposing another rate hike, stating a 23% increase for residential rates, yet this is more than a 100% increase since 2020 and would make Liberty one of the highest in the state. Use this Guided Letter to craft a comment letter to the California Public Utilities Commission and post your comment in less than 5 minutes: https://guidedletter.org/writer/support-tahoe-spark-and-protect-affordable-permanent-residential-rates.

Let’s Compare

Liberty’s residential rate proposal is over three times the national average, and almost twice the state average! While PG&E is only slightly lower than Liberty there are numerous rate payer benefits that Liberty customers do not have including access to the various energy efficiency programs available to PG&E customers.

About us

Learn More About TAHOE SPARK

TAHOE SPARK is dedicated to advocating for Liberty Utilities (CalPECO) Residential Permanent Rate Schedule customers. Our mission is to ensure access to the clean, safe energy and fair representation in rate setting .

Why Choose Us

Why Choose TAHOE SPARK for Advocacy

Our unique commitment to advocacy sets us apart. Here are some key benefits of partnering with us:

Dedicated Advocacy

We focus solely on the interests of our community and the permanent residents, including renters and homeowners ensuring that their voices are heard in rate-setting processes. Both the Bear Valley Electric (another second homeowner /ski resort community) and Liberty Utilities (formerly Sierra Pacific) have historically had permanent and non-permanent residential rates. Liberty is currently proposing to eliminate the non-residential rate

Community Representation

Our team consists of local energy and land use experts who are residents familiar with the challenges in our rural communities. The Tahoe Region, covering 80% of Liberty Utilities’ territory, sees over 20 million visitors each year. This influx leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions, heightened infrastructure demands, the conversion of housing into mini hotels, and increased wildfire risks. Our knowledge of these issues allows us to advocate effectively for sustainable solutions and educating the CPUC as to why we have non-residential and residential rates.

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