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Customers asked to comment on rate options

Chelan County PUD
News Release
9/17/2008

Chelan County PUD commissioners will hold three meetings to learn what customers think about revised rates for electric, water and sewer services designed to encourage power and water conservation and to better align rates between different types of customers.

The meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. on:

• Monday, Sept. 29, in Leavenworth at the Chelan County Fire District No. 3 station, 228 Chumstick Highway.
• Wednesday, Oct. 1, in Wenatchee at the Confluence Technology Center, 285 Technology Way.
• Thursday, Oct. 2, in Chelan at Campbell’s Resort in the Riverside Room, 104 W. Woodin Ave.

A hearing on the final rate design is scheduled for Oct. 20, after public comments are gathered at the evening meetings.

A cost-of-service study and a review of rates began early this year following last year’s strategic planning sessions, which resulted in strategic principles to ensure the District’s finances are solid until 2012 when existing power sales contracts expire.

The option for electric rates is designed to encourage conservation by lowering the cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) slightly for residential customers using moderate amounts of power and charging the highest rates for power use that tops 3,000 kWh a month.

The draft also calls for delaying any increase in electric, water and sewer rates until April 1, 2009, after peak winter use subsides.

Overall electric revenue could rise an estimated 2.5 percent after April 2009 if the rate increases are adopted as proposed. Residential revenue could increase an estimated 3.2 percent; commercial revenue by 1 percent. Water revenue could increase an estimated 6.9 percent and sewer revenue, 6.5 percent.

PUD commissioners asked staff to develop a draft rate design that: 

• Includes small rate increases over time to avoid sharp spikes in customer bills.
• Promotes conservation, with higher rates for customers who use large quantities of energy.
• Phases in rate alignment between different types of customers.
• Eliminates the minimum charge for residential, commercial and industrial customers.
• Drops the demand “ratchet” for commercial and industrial customers.
• Changes the irrigation season for rates on pumps.
• Streamlines interdepartmental rates the PUD charges itself.

Customers can comment at the meetings, on the PUD Web site at www.chelanpud.org or directly to PUD commissioners by phone or e-mail. Contact information for commissioners is listed on the PUD Web site under “Your PUD” and “Commissioners and Districts.”

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Kimberlee Craig
Public information officer
(509) 661-4320, office
(509) 679-6858, mobile