Photo by afagen

The D.C. Public Service Commission yesterday approved a rate increase for Pepco, but the much-hated local utility got less than it wanted—$24.5 million, just over half of the $42 million that it had originally requested. The increase means that D.C. customers will see an increase of $2.60 on their monthly electricity bills starting in mid-October.

In August, a Maryland commission similarly granted Pepco a rate hike, which the company says it will use to upgrade its electrical infrastructure. But that commission only gave Pepco $18 million of the $68 million it requested, partially over frustrations with the utility for its slow response to the late June derecho storm that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands throughout the region.

That Pepco got more in D.C. than in Maryland was too much for Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), who accused the commission of doing Pepco’s bidding. “I just believe they are lap dogs for Pepco. They really missed an opportunity to improve Pepco’s reliability,” she told the Post.

This rate increase doesn’t touch upon another issue that still remains on the table—burying the city’s power lines, which is expected to cost up to $6 billion. Both a mayoral task force and the D.C. Council are exploring the idea.

In related news, Pepco workers overwhelmingly voted against a proposed contract yesterday, meaning that the first strike since 1985 could happen soon.