AVISTA CORP
For the period ended Jun 30, 2025. Filed Aug 6, 2025.
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Jun 30, 2025 · Filed Aug 6, 2025
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Regulatory Matters
General Rate Cases
We regularly review the need for electric and natural gas rate changes in each state in which we provide service. We expect to continue to file for rate adjustments to:
seek recovery of operating costs and capital investments, and
seek the opportunity to earn reasonable returns as allowed by regulators.
With regard to the timing and plans for future filings, the assessment of our need for rate relief and the development of rate case plans takes into consideration short-term and long-term needs, as well as specific factors including, but not limited to, in-service dates of major capital investments and the timing of changes in major revenue and expense items.
Washington General Rate Cases
2024 General Rate Cases
In December 2024, the WUTC issued orders related to our multi-year electric and natural gas general rate cases filed with the WUTC in January 2024.
The approved rates within the orders are designed to increase annual electric base revenues by $12 million (or 2.0 percent), effective January 1, 2025 (Rate Year 1), and $44 million (or 7.5 percent) for Rate Year 2. The difference in approved rates for Rate Year 1 and those included in our original request of $77 million is primarily due to a $56 million decrease in power supply costs compared to those set forth in the original request, and also due to a lower approved return on equity than requested. The Rate Year 2 increase represents the effective increase to customers resulting from the $69 million approved in the order, partially offset by a $25 million decrease due to the expiration of a separate tariff in effect during Rate Year 1 to collect remaining Colstrip expenses by December 31, 2025 (see further discussion below).
The approved rates are also designed to increase annual natural gas base revenues by $14 million (or 11.2 percent), effective January 1, 2025, and $4 million (or 2.8 percent) for Rate Year 2.
The WUTC approved an ROE of 9.8 percent, based on a common equity ratio of 48.5 percent, and an ROR of 7.32 percent.
The WUTC did not approve our request to modify the ERM under which differences between actual net power supply costs and the amount reflected in base retail customer rates are tracked. Based on our forecast energy commodity costs in 2025 and 2026, we expect actual net power supply costs to exceed the level included in base rates. We plan to continue to address how net power supply costs are set in base rates in future regulatory proceedings.
The Commission continued its support for important recovery mechanisms such as wildfire and insurance balancing accounts, and decoupling.
2026 General Rate Cases
The Company expects to file its next multi-year electric and natural gas general rate cases in the first quarter of 2026.
Colstrip Tariff
In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed the CETA, which, among other things, requires costs associated with coal-fired generation facilities to be removed from rates no later than December 31, 2025. The WUTC order approving the settlement of the 2022 general rate cases, required us to establish a tracker for our Colstrip-related costs, including operating and maintenance expense, depreciation and amortization expense, and a return on rate base. In October 2024, we filed a cost recovery tariff seeking to recover the costs associated with our ownership of Colstrip in 2025. In the filing, we requested an increase in annual Colstrip tariff revenues of $19 million – from $24 million in 2024 to $43 million in 2025, effective January 1, 2025. In its review, WUTC Staff raised three concerns related to (1) whether forecasted 2025 investments are allowed in rates; (2) whether the capital investment included in the filing will be used and useful for customers prior to the end of 2025; and (3) one major capital investment that will not be in service until 2027. In December 2024, the WUTC allowed our filed tariff to go into effect, but set the rates as subject to refund. The WUTC set the matter for adjudication in 2025, but also ordered us, WUTC Staff, and other interested parties to meet and resolve the issues. On March 6, 2025, the Commission held a prehearing conference for purposes of setting a procedural schedule. The issued schedule calls for a process that results in an Evidentiary Hearing on October 3, 2025, and a final order by the end of 2025.
Idaho General Rate Cases
2023 General Rate Cases
In August 2023, the IPUC approved the multi-party settlement agreement designed to increase annual base electric revenues by $22 million, or 8.0 percent, effective in September 2023, and $4 million, or 1.4 percent, effective in September 2024. The agreement was designed to increase annual base natural gas revenues by $1 million, or 2.7 percent, effective in September 2023, and a negligible increase effective in September 2024.
The settlement was based on an ROE of 9.4 percent, with a common equity ratio of 50 percent, and an ROR of 7.19 percent.
2025 General Rate Cases
In June 2025, we reached an all-party settlement agreement, which has been submitted to the IPUC for its consideration. If approved, new rates would be effective in September 2025 and September 2026.
The settlement is designed to increase annual base electric revenues by $20 million, or 6.3 percent, effective in September 2025, and $15 million, or 4.5 percent, effective in September 2026. For natural gas, the agreement is designed to increase annual base natural gas revenues by $5 million, or 9.2 percent, effective September 2025, and decrease annual base natural gas revenues by $0.2 million, or 0.4 percent, effective September 2026.
The settlement is based on an ROE of 9.6 percent with a common equity ratio of 50 percent and an ROR of 7.28 percent.
For base electric revenues, we originally requested an increase of $43 million (or 14.0 percent), effective September 1, 2025, and $18 million (or 5.0 percent), effective September 1, 2026. For base natural gas revenues, we originally requested an increase of $9 million (or 17.7 percent), effective September 1, 2025, and $1 million (or 1.7 percent), effective September 1, 2026. The lower base revenue agreed to by the parties is mainly due to a lower return on equity than we requested, as well as longer recovery periods for amortizations, a reduction in power supply expense versus filed, and a change in the law affecting the way property taxes are calculated and collected from customers.
Oregon General Rate Case
2024 General Rate Case
In May 2025, the OPUC approved the all-party settlement agreement designed to increase annual base revenues by $4 million, or 5.0 percent, effective in September 2025. The settlement was based on an ROE of 9.5 percent with a common equity ratio of 50 percent and an ROR of 7.22 percent.
To mitigate the overall impact of the revenue increases on customers, $5 million of tax customer credits will be accelerated and returned to customers over a three-year period.
Future Oregon General Rate Cases
In July 2025, the Governor of Oregon signed into law House Bill 3179 which modifies certain provisions as it relates to general rate case filings and cost recovery. The law, among other things, extends the length of time for the commission to suspend rates from nine to 10 months, does not allow residential rate increases of any kind between November 1 and March 31, does not allow new rates to take effect from a proceeding where the return on equity is at issue within 18 months of the prior rate effective date, authorizes securitization of “capital investments” that will cause rates to “rise by more than five percent” under specific circumstances, and calls for the OPUC to establish rules requiring utilities to establish a multiyear rate plan for rate revisions where a company’s return on equity is reviewed. Such rate plans must be no less than three years and no more than seven years in length.
Purchased Gas Adjustments, Power Cost Deferrals and Decoupling Mechanisms
See our 2024 Form 10-K for discussion of the various regulatory recovery mechanisms in each of our jurisdictions.
We received approval from the WUTC to recover $32 million of the ERM deferred surcharge balance in Washington over a two-year period starting July 1, 2025.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.