UTAH ASSOCIATION OF ENERGY USERS
WHO WE ARE
UAE provides a wide range of regulatory services to its members to keep electricity and natural gas rates affordable for the organization's members, many of whom compete globally. UAE is actively involved in the representation of industrial customers before the Utah Legislature and Public Utilities Commissions. The organization provides expert testimony in utility proceedings for Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp) and Enbridge Gas Company on electricity issues and natural gas issues, including gas transportation.
At the regional and federal levels, UAE provides leadership and intervention on behalf of its members before the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) - the electric reliability council in the West - and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). On policy issues, UAE works to support our members' overall policy plans by resolving issues with administrative, legislative, and regulatory entities. UAE also participates in and monitors what is occurring at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on issues that impact the region and state.
October 2025 Newsletter
This month’s UAE Energy Update pulls back the curtain on high-stakes moves shaping Utah’s energy future. Here’s what’s inside:
📉 Clean Energy Fast-Track Denied — But the Door's Still Open
Utah regulators rejected a petition to fast-track clean energy procurement — but also signaled that utilities must evaluate time-limited federal tax credits. Advocates call it a win for ratepayers in disguise.
🌡️ Who Owns Utah's Geothermal Energy?
State lawmakers advanced a bill to clarify geothermal resource rights, a move aimed at unlocking more private investment in geothermal energy while resolving longstanding legal ambiguity.
🪨 Coal Auctions Fall Flat
Despite federal attempts to revive the coal industry, interest in new coal leases across the West — including Utah — is cratering. One recent lease auction received a bid of just pennies per ton.
🔋 Meta Goes Solar in Utah
A 685 MW solar project in Utah County is now live — and will power Meta’s Utah operations under Rocky Mountain Power’s Schedule 34 green tariff.
🌐 Cox & Polis Pitch 'Energy Superabundance'
At the Western Governors’ Conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis pushed to double grid capacity to handle surging data center demand — even if it means overbuilding for now.
🔥 PacifiCorp Pays $125M to Oregon Wineries
A wildfire smoke damage lawsuit from 2020 ends with a $125 million payout — but thousands of claims still hang in the balance. Utility liability is under the spotlight like never before.
🛢️ Natural Gas Export Dreams Take Shape
A new study supports two major pipeline projects to move Rocky Mountain natural gas to Asia via the West Coast and Mexico — a geopolitical and economic play with major implications.
🚪 Utilities Exit WRAP Program Over Market Concerns
Several major utilities — including PacifiCorp — exit the Western Resource Adequacy Program, citing confusion over new day-ahead markets and regulatory uncertainty.
🌲 Senate Advances Wildfire Resilience Bill
Bipartisan legislation would allow utilities to remove vegetation near power lines and improve wildfire monitoring, a move cheered by public power groups.
🔌 Want to stay informed, empowered, and represented in Utah’s fast-moving energy landscape?
👉 Become a UAE member today and join Utah’s leading network of energy users shaping the region’s future.
