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.
September 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:
⛏️ Coal Comeback or Last Gasp?
The Trump administration is auctioning off coal leases in Utah, Alabama, Montana, and Wyoming — a test of whether the mining sector is truly ready for a rebound. Industry groups are bullish; environmentalists call it a bailout of a dying industry.
🏭 DOE Greenlights AI-Ready Data Centers on Federal Land
Idaho National Lab is now open for business — data center business, that is. The DOE is calling on private developers to build high-powered AI hubs on public land. Critics say it’s a power grab — and ratepayers could be footing the bill.
⚡ Arizona AG Slams Utility Rate Hike
Arizona’s Attorney General and other major stakeholders are fighting back against Tucson Electric Power’s proposed 14% rate hike — especially after the utility’s $1.6 billion profit. Is this a preview of future fights across the region?
🔌 Nevada’s $4.2B Transmission Line Hits Another Delay
The Greenlink North project, crucial to unlocking 4,000 MW of untapped renewable energy, is now stalled again — this time over federal permitting and growing opposition from rural communities and conservation groups.
🏛️ Congress Fast-Tracks Fossil Plants — and the Pushback Begins
A House bill would give dispatchable power plants like coal and gas priority in grid interconnection queues. Supporters call it necessary for reliability; critics say it undermines clean energy progress.
🔥 Who Pays When the Grid Sparks a Wildfire?
In Utah and across the West, utilities are rewriting the rules — and shifting wildfire liability onto customers. Inside the playbook of PacifiCorp and the legal shields that are drawing outrage from consumer advocates.
📈 Market Watch:
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Natural Gas prices climb sharply year-over-year
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Battery storage gains ground after being spared from IRA cuts
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Western electricity prices remain volatile (see page 14 for graphs)
🔌 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.
