As with many government actions, the Public Service Commission, and those companies it regulates, makes moral decisions in the regular course of business. The commission's decisions about what is important when determining rates for renewable energy sources involves making just such decisions. Unfortunately, Rocky Mountain Power is currently asking PSC to ignore the moral implications of setting rates for customers who use solar power.
Just a week or two ago, Rocky Mountain Power filed a legal brief to the PSC specifically stating that the Public Service Commission should be precluded from considering "external benefits such as global health, social and environmental benefits that could theoretically be bolstered by net metering, but that are not directly enjoyed by the Company or its customers."
To understand the moral implications of such a statement, look to Pope Francis. As the pope made clear in Laudato Si', the environment belongs to all of us: It is our common home. The protection of our home, through such things as our energy sources, is a responsibility shared by all of us, including the PSC and Rocky Mountain Power.
Pope Francis understands that "we are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis which is both social and environmental." As our own air quality attests, there is a strong, clear connection between energy production, environmental protection and public health. While Rocky Mountain Power discounts these indirect benefits, its focus solely on the benefits to its own bottom line will continue to harm the health of all Utahns.
Though Rocky Mountain Power asserts that PSC cannot consider any other factors than its economic desires, PSC has a far broader role to fill. As a public service agency, PSC does not exist just to prevent bad practice or promote business interests, but also to promote best practices to protect our common home.
Renewable resources must be an integral part of our state's best practices, and not just as feel-good measures. Solar energy has become ever more effective, efficient and affordable. It is also more sustainable than fossil fuel sources, offers creative opportunities in the energy field that could create new jobs and is cheaper over the long term, potentially helping low-income families meet their needs for electricity without having to forgo other necessities.
The protection of our common home is not assured by the simple, one-dimensional financial cost/benefit analysis sought by Rocky Mountain Power. As Pope Francis wrote, "The environment is not one of those goods that can be adequately safeguarded or promoted by market forces." Simply increasing profits for nonrenewable providers will not ensure that those providers actively seek new innovations in renewable resources.
We urge PSC to include in all of its discussions around solar and other energy sources not only the costs of providing for renewables within our system, but also the costs of not doing so. Solar is far less polluting, much easier to find and harness and, perhaps most important, provides substantial benefits to human health and the quality of life for future generations in our state. These moral considerations matter far more than the purely economic calculations sought by the utility.
Utah is a moral leader in many economic and political areas. We hope that PSC will show similar leadership as it determines what factors will matter when calculating rate increases requested by utilities.
Jean Hill is government liaison for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible