Deseret News | Reader comments: Rocky Mountain Power to scale back services

Reader comments
Rocky Mountain Power to scale back services

Tom | 5:46 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Great! And when Rocky Mountain Power is through throwing their temper tantrum maybe the legislature with set up more UAMPS type local companies that will restore power to average folks in what sure feels like an emergency to them. Maybe Rocky Mountain has purchased an interest in Honda generators?

Rocky Mountain's perspective on how to respond to being bridled comes from across the Atlantic where they're not used to American style business.

L. Warburton | 6:07 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Blackmail! That's all this is.

They listed every monetary amount they wanted us to see....what about the salaries and year end bonuses of the CEO and other top exec's?

Disgusting!

They get a raise and we get less service. That's just wonderful.

Well, I hope the commission not only sticks to their limits but fines them for this ridiculous ploy.

Chad | 6:14 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Whoa, stop the presses...Rocky Mtn Pwr has customer service? You gotta be kidding me, how come no one was informed of this? Every time I have tried to contact them, about billing or service or whatever, I have a hard time getting to anyone even remotely concerned with customer service.

How do you scale back from zero anyway?

Comments continue below

Let's see | 6:28 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

SO not only do you want to up the rates we are all paying for electricity, at the same time that prices on food and everything else has gone up but then you aren't go to hire anyone for your sutomer service. I wish we had another options of providers because this company is a joke. How about if you do the same as the oil company and just raise the rates because you "think" the costs might go up?

'Bull'-y-ing concerns | 6:41 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

RMP's suggestion they'll cut electricity to Utah because the Utah Public Services Commission deems RMP's demands to raise rates as grossly excorbitant, is nothing less than a threat. To suggest that costs are rising to the extent RMP 'portrays' is ludicrous. Even the devaluation of our US dollar due to inflation isn't falling that quickly!
So let's cut to the chase and ignore most of RMP's baloney: RMP's measures as outlined above are nothing less than corpa bully-ing tactics and posturing to manipulate rates-raising on un-wary consumers for both now and in the future. I strongly recommend the UT Public Services Commission independently review the state's population growth and carefully scrutinize whether RMP has PROPERLY (accurately) represented and documented the facts surrounding "growth" and demand--if they haven't already! Kudo's to the Utah Public Services Commission; their currently tough stance is commendable!!

Start thinking solar power! | 7:17 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Utilities are against solar power because it gives homeowners "control" over their power and it is difficult for them to profit off what their customers produce on their own. Reports this past summer indicate that the solar power industry is increasingly becoming more cost effective, and solar panels should be 'worth it' for most by 2012. Of course, Utah's utility rates are some of the cheapest in the nation due to our dirty coal reliance, but consumers can at least become less dependent on RMP if they relied on solar energy, getting "credits" by selling excess back to RMP during the day when most homeowners aren't home and don't need the power and then using the "credits" to get power at night.

Mahonri | 7:17 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Raise the rates. They are a business, not a charity. Go ahead and cut services and have rolling brownouts and blackouts. Start with State buildings, no one will know the difference as these fools live in the dark way too much.
This company is entitled to a profit. If you don't like it put up solar panels and a windmill and get off the grid. I watch a helicopter holding a repairman 100 or more feet in the air servicing large power poles and lines. You could not pay me enough to do this. They deserve every penny they charge and they deserve rate increases. You want to protest? Protest Pizza Hut and Papa Murphys raising prices on their pizzas, not power costs.

CLW | 7:19 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Up to this point the comments made are as incorrect as Tom's reference to RMP's perspective coming from across the Atlantic (the company has not been owned by Scottish Power for some time now!). Costs have gone up for every power company - those facts are indisputable. Utilities have records for the energy purchase costs and for the materials purchased. Utah ratepayers are whiners who can't accept that they have been paying below market rates (compare national costs) and the gravy train has run out. I paid 4x Utah rates in NJ ten years ago. And where so you think UAMPS gets their energy from? Their costs have gone up as well. If you want quality utility service, you can't short the provider. The customer service that counts is infrastructure, and it costs much more to build today than in 1950. Stop whining Utah!

Paul | 7:26 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Time to open up RMP's books and see if they are justified in their demands. If the PSC's accountants agree, then go ahead with the increase. Otherwise, maybe Utah should shop for another power company to take RMP's place.

RMP needed cuts | 7:30 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Maybe they could cut into their 10+% return given to their investors as a start along with executive salaries. The only customer service they provide anyway is someone who is there to readily take your monthly payment - won't be any cuts or shortage in that department.

Sanity | 7:39 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Solar Power on my rooftop
I use it every day
Solar Power on my rooftop makes Rocky Mountain go away
Solar Power on my rooftop is so nice you see
It provides me with the power I crave
And Rocky Mountain pays my fee
They buy each excess megawatt
It is the law of the land
It is my solar power that Rocky Mountain cannot stand
Become energy independent!

Confused | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

You know two can play the same game as RMP. Maybe it time for the Utah Tax Commission to take a look at their Tax status and see if they no longer are in the Tax incentives base that we give them.

Maybe we should tax them because the State is currently not getting the money they projected to cover their cost of operating.

RMP Joke | 7:48 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

If RMP wants to blackmail the citizens of Utah with brown-outs, loss of service and jeopardizing the safety of it's citizens, then let's hold them accountable. Utah has enough laws on the books that require "reasonable" actions by companies as to not jeopardize the safety of citizens and customers. It is absurd of RMP to think they can swindle more dough out of the people, just to line their pockets. And as for the price difference between New Jersey and Utah, "You're not in Kansas anymore" Toto and Costs have never been the same in Utah as Jersey, and the same with Salaries. You cannot compare apples to oranges.

Back to Earth | 8:06 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

For those that want to know RMP does give rebates for solor panels. Also, they are not going to put people in horms way. If you look at the anouncment with a level head, in emergency they will work overtime to restore it.

CLW | 8:09 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

RMP Joke - in this case you CAN compare the energy costs in NJ to Utah because as Utah's population and energy consumption (houses with AC rather than swamp coolers) has risen, RMP has had to purchase more energy from out of state and build more NG plants. Utah's coal base has not increased and the price of coal has risen as well. All of this means that Utah ratepayers are having to pay similar prices to what the rest of the nation is paying for energy costs. As much as I don't like Mid-American, the facts on energy and infrastructure costs are in their favor. If Utah wants quality service their rates probably need to double. Even then, they will still be cheap when compared to other places. Right now my sources say the company is being run so cheap and thin that they can't attract qualified applicants for numerous jobs. If that's what you want, keep on complaining till the lights go out. No utility company should have to operate at a loss and if el cheapo Mid-American can't run RMP cost-effectively, nobody can.

"Nuts" | 8:44 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I don't like having a gun pointed at my head, even metaphorically.

Millions for Defense, but not one penny for tribute.

Look at Pacificorp's profits. They're making money at a better rate than they have in years.

It's time for the public to run public utilities.

Pacific Coast Power | 8:48 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Not to worry. You can always get service from Rocky Mountain Power. Just call their offices in Portland, OR and they'll be right out to help you.

GET GOVERNMENT OUT | 8:49 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

THis is what happens when the government gets involved; there is a disconnect between the service people expect, and what they can charge. If the government would quit requlating the utilities, then the market would create an opportunity for other companies to fill the void.

One company could provide great service at a higher price, and anther could charge a lower price for less service.

All you people are upset, but the fact remains that it costs money to provide service. Even the government paid for it, it would still cost money (just twice as much), and the money would just come from a different source.

OhYea | 9:02 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Either the RMP either screwed up their request for their rate increase or the rate increase was unjustified. On the other hand the PSC should review the numbers and see if they made a mistake. Either way this could have been done in a civilized way. I DEEPLY, DEEPLY, DEEPLY, resent and find totally uncalled for the threats and bully tactics that the RMP think will be productive in swaying public opinion to their side. They want to start a hate campaign, they couldn't have began any better than they have. They want to start pushing me around, they will find out how sharp my heels are.

Charles | 9:02 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Confused, you surely are, do you know who pays taxes in business? The consumer, you fool, not the business.I am going back to ice boxes and line drying my clothes and candles for light. NOT

Paul | 9:09 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I would sure like to know what Customer Service they are talking about. Everytime I call I get a "press or say one, Press or say two. Then I sit on hold for 30 to 40 minutes. Once I get a live person, they speak broken english. I don't know how they can scale back anymore from their pathetic customer service.

As for cutting power, I actually hope they do, I would love to see the amount of Law Suits, especially from someone's home medical equipment being shut off and that person dies. I would love to see the wrongful death suit against these jerks.

CLW | 9:36 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Part of the problem here is historical. It used to be accepted that utilities ran fat, dumb, and happy in order to insure that there were sufficient resources to cover the "unusual" events.

Then PSCs started getting political and they demanded that utilities run lean and mean and they stopped approving rate increases. The result has been that utilities run with skeleton crews and are chronically short of resources to deal with storms and unusual events.

Customers complain when there aren't enough linemen during storms, but don't want to have the extra personel on the payroll when there are no storms. You can't have it both ways. PSC's need to get back to running utilities with extra workers in order to make sure a quality response can be mounted at all times.

When I was a nuke engineer the NRC would come in and ask "how many engineers do you need in an emergency?" Then they would ask "How many are on staff normally?" if they two weren't equal, they ordered you to hire more. If PSCs want quality operations under all conditions, they have to abandon the lean and mean mentality and pony up the extra money required.

Dutch | 9:41 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I dont get it - the rate increases they ask for only amounts to a dinner or two out a month or a couple of large pizzas a month. I understand it is the concept of a price increase that gets everybody uptight - but companies do have to make money to survive and as we all add brand new toys to the grid we should have to pay some of the cost as well. Granted the must also be consideration for those on fixed incomes or other low income situiations.

Tom | 9:49 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I will tell you that one of their big problems is that they contract TREES, INC. to clear there power lines and they have absolutely no supervision. We have a property on the Provo river and they had 4 or 5 trucks up there for weeks "clearing the trees for the lines". There were days that you never heard a chainsaw or any kind of work going on. They would even bring their fishing poles up and fish for the day!! This is when one of my relatives spoke with the "supervisor" and told them to finish the work and get off of the property. They were gone for good the next day. Your $$$ at work...

Anonymous | 9:57 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

The worst public utility company is Utah is Qwest, by a mile. The second worst public utility company in Utah is Rocky Mountain Power, easily. The best public utility is Questar--by a mile. Ask me how I know this.

I have dealt with all three utility companies as a developer and as a home builder (my own). Questar is very responsive, they show up when they say they will, the actually come and take care of their business without having to be reminded. Rocky Mountain Power and Qwest are off the charts bad. Neither of them deserves any rate increase.

The city of Hurricane dumped RMP a few years ago and now operate their own power company. The contrast in service between RMP and Hurricane Power is like night and day. Hurricane Power responds quickly, gets their work done and charges less than RMP does.

So, let RMP whine, the free market will find better solutions. Let RMP go broke (yeah right), and cities and counties around the state will find better solutions for power service--it wouldn't take much.

Not Satisfied | 10:02 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I am not satisfied with how Rocky Mountain Power has made TWO requests within a 12 month period to increase rates. Get some smart forecasters RMP and make one request a year if you need to. making more than one make you look like a greedy pig. Moreover how about you scaleback the CEO and other upperidiots...i mean upper managements pay to something more reasonable. How about 10X what your lowest paid employee makes. If they want more money then raise the pay of the lowest paid employee. And if they will not work for 10X the pay of the lowest employee throw the bums out. I know there are plenty of well educated and intelligent people who would run the company just fine and not require such excessive salaries!

Oh yes and people go solar. Stop renting electricity!

itsjustme | 10:58 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Many parts of the country have gone to a competitive based system, where there are several (sometimes many) different companies providing electric service to the homeowners in the state. All of the electricity moves over the same line, and one company is responsible for the maintenance of the lines. With competition, prices will come down. And service will improve, because the company that provides better customer service will get the most customers.

Mike | 11:14 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Electricity isn't a god given right. If you are unhappy with RMP, disconnect and generate your own power. For the average home, $20,000 will provide you with enough capacity. Problem solved.

Utahstudmuffin2 | 11:46 a.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Rocky Mountain Power should be taken over by the state and made into a pulic utility, and its executives thrown in prison for this reprehensible extortion atempt.

NB | 12:37 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

"THis is what happens when the government gets involved..."

Sorry, but that's complete nonsense.

What we've just experienced from RMP is what happens when government kow-tows too often and too easily to business interests. The problem isn't with government interference with a business, the problem is inadequate public oversight of a monopoly.

RMP has a monopoly on electric power distribution. That's OK - it doesn't make sense that there would be competing sets of power lines running through neighborhoods. Sometimes (but not always) a monopoly is a good way to distribute goods that are essential to society and that everyone needs.

However, monopolistic businesses tend take their customers for granted and feel _entitled_ to high profits, rather than earn them. They get stupid, lazy and thuggish. That's what's happened to RMP. Poor customer service, inept and insufficient maintenance of their power lines, and thuggish behavior towards anyone who dares ask reasonable questions about their incessant need for rate increases.

If I could choose to do business with someone else, I would. Since I'm stuck with RMP, itï¿½s reasonable and appropriate that a publicly-granted monopoly should deal with public oversight.

mom | 12:38 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Let one person die because they won't restore power during winter and they will see mega lawsuits and wish they were more concerned with public service that the bottom line. A lot of people don't have $20,000 to put in their own power source.

snawer | 2:33 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

I worked for RMP for a few years up until 2007. I can tell you, of the 6 states that RPM/Pacific Power serviced, Utah was definatly the most whiney wanting something for nothing portion of the service territory. If you knew the write off that comes from people not paying their bills, or having their room-mate or spouse call in and open a new account or businesses going under, you would be amazed. I am by no means defending the company. I am a customer too. If rates go up, I have to pay. I completely agree, once you get about 3 levels from the bottom in the food chain of RPM you have to ask what do they really do? And why do they make so much doing what ever it is they do?

out of control rates | 3:22 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

BIG OIL and BIG POWER - they have alot in common. Both GOUGE the customer and both raking in huge profits. Rocky Mountain Power wants a new rate increase every year and it never ends. Take a look at your power bill and you get the idea here. These BIG energy companies should be FORCED to live within their means just like the rest of us.

You are not stuck | 5:15 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Everyone,

you are not stuck. Stop renting electricity. Stop wasting your money on your "toys" and save up for solar panels. Solar Panels= No more electrical Rental Fees from RMP"

Dale | 7:17 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

Paul has a good comment.

"Time to open up RMP's books and see if they are justified in their demands. If the PSC's accountants agree, then go ahead with the increase. Otherwise, maybe Utah should shop for another power company to take RMP's place."

I assume, Utah's Public Service Commission (and the other public utility oversight departments in Utah) gives us shopping alternatives to monopolies?

Fred | 7:51 p.m. Sept. 3, 2008

If RMP would seriously cut the pay, bonuses, and retirement of their CEO and other overpaid company officials I might be more inclined to be in favor of allowing a rate increase.

devil's advocate | 12:21 a.m. Sept. 4, 2008

Any utility does provide the PSC with documentation to back the request for a rate increase. Do you boobs really think a utility makes a willy-nilly rate hike request without having to prove the reason why it's needed? It's like applying for a loan, you have to answer for how your $$ has been spent.

Sheesh....there are plenty of countries around the world that would be beyond thrilled to have utility service like what RMP provides.

After reading the comments posted here, it makes me wonder what rock the majority of the public has been living under. Hello? The economy in this country stinks!! No wonder every dang thing has been affected by it. Gas prices-check, food costs-check, airline travel-check, insurance costs-check!! We are in a financial crisis, and if a utility is unable to get the funds needed to provide the service everyone wants, they have to cut back somehow.

It's kind of like being on a tight budget at home, "I guess Top Ramen will have to be my main food source. Otherwise, I'm going to have to suck it up and shell out a few bucks to make maceroni and cheese with hotdogs."

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