This is HUGE. Pepco failed to properly justify is proposed rate increase. PLUS - PSC Chairman Thompson and Commissioner Trabue approved this $123 million rate hike on DC households without proper evidence, reasoning, or common sense.
Join us to discuss public power with Aparna Raj!
March 18 at Sudhouse: Aparna Raj is a community organizer, union member and the proud daughter of immigrants running for the open Ward 1 council seat.
actionnetwork.org/events/peopl...
Residents demand changes from DC commission that manages utility companies
D.C. residents gave emotional testimony on their spiking utility bills.
“When my roommate charged me for the electric bill, I actually had to double check with him that it was the right number and he hadn’t messed up the math, because it literally doubled.”
On Feb. 27, the D.C. Council held a performance oversight hearing for the Public Service Commission that approves Pepco's price gouging.
@wepowerdc.bsky.social is organizing
this has been so bonkers. I live in a tiny space that has some costs offset by my landlord's solar panels, i am rarely home, heat is built into my rent, and my habits have not changed ...and i just got a bill that was higher than when I have to run a window AC unit in the summer
Submit written testimony about Pepco, Washington Gas, and DC Water to the DC Council: lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/hea...
Washington, D.C. — Amid repeated failures by the D.C. Public Service Commission (PSC) to keep energy bills down, a coalition of consumer, housing, and climate advocates is urging the D.C. Council to pause new appointments to the Commission until after the new mayor takes office on January 2. Advocates will testify at the February 27 public oversight hearing of the PSC, emphasizing how higher energy bills are straining D.C. residents and the need for new leadership at the PSC. “To build a more affordable energy future in D.C., we should use new architects. January’s 13% gas rate hike is only the latest chapter in a history of lax oversight and deference by the D.C. Public Service Commission to let utilities jack up their rates no matter the cost to District residents,” said Claire Mills, D.C. Campaigns Manager at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “Time and time again, Chair Thompson and Commissioner Trabue have sided with Washington Gas and Pepco instead of with hardworking D.C. residents, rubber-stamping nearly half a billion dollars in excessive spending that allows these companies to increase profits for their shareholders. With affordability top of mind for D.C. residents this election season, voters deserve a say in choosing a leader who will hold utilities accountable and help bring costs down. That means no reappointments before the November election.” Since 2021, under Chair Emile Thompson’s leadership, the Commission has approved $398.5 million in utility spending by both Pepco and Washington Gas. That included a controversial multi-year electric rate hike approved in November 2024 that increased D.C. electric bills by $7.54 per month in 2025 and $3.80 per month in 2026, and a 13% gas rate hike approved in December 2025 that boosted Washington Gas’s return on equity to 10.5%, an industry high. The PSC has continued to approve spending requests from Pepco and Washington Gas even as both utilities face lawsuits from consumer advocates alleging mismanag…
A group of climate advocates including @wepowerdc.bsky.social and CCAN are calling on the council/mayor to hold off appointing any new Public Service Commission members until after the election: two are up this year.
I've heard growing frustration with the PSC as gas/electric rates creep up:
Interested in learning more about public power, DC’s path forward, and how you can plug into the campaign?
Join us at We Power 101 on Feb 24!
actionnetwork.org/events/we-po...
Tell us about your experience with Pepco! It’s important to make your voice heard when dealing with our regulated utilities.
wepowerdc.org/testimonials
@wepowerdc.bsky.social shoutout!
Activists in Washington, D.C. with @wepowerdc.bsky.social are standing up to demand public power. For affordability, for climate, and for democracy. We can't afford to wait: we need public power now.
My power bill today floored me. Thanks AI! I love subsidizing billionaires making us dumber www.axios.com/local/washin...
Meanwhile, Pepco continues to try to justify its unnecessary rate increase in the DC Court of Appeals, arguing it needs more of DC’s money to operate while spending wildly and inappropriately.
www.wepowerdc.org/latest-news/...
Nearly a quarter of all DC residents are behind on their bills to Pepco, according to mandated reporting from the utility. While disconnection notices have fallen since July, debt to Pepco remains steady for most residents, showcasing the rising instability of utility costs.
Pepco’s obsession with profit is making utility bills unaffordable - and when people can’t afford power, they can’t afford to live practically, comfortably, or with dignity. Our system needs momentus reform.
www.wepowerdc.org/latest-news/...
July’s heatwave and increased energy prices saw Pepco’s revenue jump over $20 million in a single month. With this increased burden on customers, disconnection notices increased by around 6,000, which is a 47.6% increase compared to June.
Want to get involved for a better utility in DC? Join us to wheatpaste for We Power DC this Saturday: actionnetwork.org/events/we-po...
Our utilities should benefit the community first, not shareholders thousands of miles away.
Our utilities should benefit the community first, not shareholders thousands of miles away.
As D.C. residents face extreme heat and rising electricity bills, Pepco is accused of misspending nearly $100M from its 2022-23 rate hikes. Another increase is set for Jan. 2026.
Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social is investigating Pepco’s most recent $123 million rate hike and their dubious use of customer money. Read the full story (and the callout from We Power DC!) on the WCP website.
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7686...
Washington City Paper @wcp.bsky.social is investigating Pepco’s most recent $123 million rate hike and their dubious use of customer money. Read the full story (and the callout from We Power DC!) on the WCP website.
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7686...
On Friday, both the PSC and Pepco filed standard briefs defending the electric rate hike that kicked in starting January 2025. These briefs are in response to the Office of the People’s Counsel’s appeal that the approved rate hike was unreasonable and unjust.
A poster for We Power DC's canvass kick-off June 4 at 6:30 PM
Join us on Wednesday, June 4th at 6:30pm to talk to neighbors in Ward 1 about public power. Training and materials will be provided—wear comfortable shoes for walking and bring friends!
During DC’s hot humid heat dome, Pepco sent out over 13,000 disconnection notices to residents behind on their bills. After sky-rocketing energy prices and increased delivery charges, thousands of residents are being punished for the crime of being poor.
Shutoffs and disconnection notices are a health risk (especially during extreme weather events), as they pressure people to choose between energy and other essentials like groceries.
We need a utility that works for the public, not the shareholders!
During DC’s hot humid heat dome, Pepco sent out over 13,000 disconnection notices to residents behind on their bills. After sky-rocketing energy prices and increased delivery charges, thousands of residents are being punished for the crime of being poor.
More than half (56%) of DC’s low-income residents are in debt to Pepco, per mandatory reporting to the PSC.
edocket.dcpsc.org/apis/api/Fil...
We deserve a utility owned by the public, not one by hedge funds and billionaires.
