[wpietri]

These are public utilities, so changing their rate structures so significantly could well require legal changes. And if the solution is outside the utility, then it definitely requires legal changes, as then we're in to the realm of business regulation, and American business regulation is generally of the style of "everything is allowed except for these specifically forbidden things that have proven to be bad".

Of course, if you'd like to propose some less intrusive solution I'm sure both we and the people of Central Washington would be all ears.