El Paso Says “Nope” to Utility Rate Hikes

Turns out El Pasoans aren’t just sitting back and handing over blank checks to utility companies. In a rare moment of government action that actually benefits residents, the El Paso City Council just blocked two major rate hikes from El Paso Electric and Texas Gas Service. Somewhere, a CEO is probably sweating into his bonus check.

El Paso Electric Wants More… But Why?

On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously rejected El Paso Electric’s $93 million rate hike request, which would have tacked on an extra $22 a month for residential customers. The City wasn’t buying it, calling the proposal “excessive” and not really justified.

Mayor Renard Johnson summed it up best: “We gotta protect the ratepayers.” Translation: You can’t just slap a bigger price tag on our bills because you feel like it.

Residents like Marcy Chavez already know the pain. She told reporters at KFOX she paid $730 last month for a small house and once even got a $1,000 bill. But El Paso Electric insists the hike is necessary because of “unprecedented growth” and the need for more infrastructure. Sure, because nothing screams “infrastructure investment” like record profits and million-dollar executive salaries.

Now the City and El Paso Electric are headed into settlement talks. If they can’t work it out, the Texas Public Utility Commission will step in by January.

Texas Gas Service Gets a Timeout

Not to be outdone, Texas Gas Service also tried its luck, asking for a $41.1 million rate hike that would hit residential customers with an extra $10 to $14 a month. The City hit pause on that one too, suspending the proposal for 90 days to dig through the company’s math.

City Attorney Karla Nieman made it clear El Paso isn’t about to start subsidizing bad accounting or pay for gas costs from other parts of Texas. The City wants to know exactly how much profit TGS is chasing before it approves anything. A decision is expected before November 17, and if TGS doesn’t like it, the Texas Railroad Commission gets the final say.

What This Means for You

For now, your bills won’t get any higher, at least not from these two companies. But don’t hold your breath; utilities have a habit of asking for more money until someone eventually caves.

Still, for once, El Pasoans get a rare win. So enjoy this brief moment where your wallet isn’t being raided to keep CEOs in new yachts.