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Grant PUD approves rate hike
Grant PUD commissioners have approved the distribution of a 4-percent revenue increase that was adopted during the 2010 budget process. The rate increase will take effect on April 1.
“It’s never an easy decision to raise rates, but the risk of not taking this action is unacceptable,” said commission president Bob Bernd. “The commission is committed to providing reliable service at the lowest possible cost. By adopting this relatively small increase, we are working to avoid double-digit rate increases in the future. It’s our responsibility and our commitment to ensure the financial health and reliability of this utility.”
Residential customers will see a 2.8 percent increase, enough to add about $2 to the average monthly bill.
The increase for industrial customers, including computer data centers, ranges from 4 percent to 6.6 percent.
The percentage increases are based on a flat increase of .001155 applied to each customer’s per-kilowatt charge, regardless of class.
The new per-kilowatt charge for a residential customer will be approximately 4.3 cents.
The PUD expects the increase to add $4 million in rate revenue this year.
PUD officials say the utility needs the extra money to fund electric-system growth, replace aging machinery at Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams and help pay for long-term projects associated with the utility’s new license to operate the dams.
To date, more than $300 million has been spent in support of these projects with an additional $800 million in borrowing anticipated over the next five years.
Since the last rate increase in 2003, Grant PUD’s energy load has grown by 31 percent. This growth contributes to the need for electric system capital improvements that maintain reliability and meet state and federal requirements.
Also last week, Grant PUD commissioners recognized iFiber Communications as the provider offering service to the 5,000th user of the utility’s fiber optic network.
“We are pleased to see the fiber optic network reach this new milestone,” Bernd said. “We recognize the efforts of iFiber Communications and of all our service provider partners in helping the utility achieve this threshold.”
Build-out of the fiber optic network will continue in 2010 under the commission’s multi-year plan that brings service to 80 percent of residences and 95 percent of businesses in the county. The community of Soap Lake will be served by year-end.
Grant PUD’s fiber optic network brings access to high-speed Internet, television, telephone and wireless services. It is currently available to nearly 18,000 homes, businesses and farms in the county.
For additional information on the network or for a list of the utility’s retail service providers, visit gcpud.org.
