BPA Wholesale Power Rate Increase Coming October 1
As I have discussed several times during the past two years, on October 1 the Bonneville Power Administration will implement a new tiered rate billing structure.
With this new structure, Wasco Electric will receive separate charges:
• Tier 1 for its share of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) at a cost-based rate.
• Tier 2 for load exceeding Wasco Electric’s allocated share of the FCRPS, at market-based rates that are 50-percent more expensive than the FCRPS rates.
Combined with the projected rate increase by BPA on the FCRPS cost-based energy, this new billing structure will have the effect of a 12- to 14-percent wholesale rate increase to Wasco Electric starting this fall.
Wasco Electric has hired an independent firm to perform a cost-of-service analysis. It will look at the effects of the wholesale rate increase on the costs of the cooperative and, ultimately, the retail rates we will need to pass on to you, the members.
I can assure you that through this process, your board of directors and staff are committed to doing all we can to lessen the impact of rates to members and yet still provide reliable service today and into the future.
In these times of increasing energy costs, Wasco Electric is committed to helping its members control their costs through energy efficiency and conservation. Energy efficiency and conservation are among the lowest-cost resources for your cooperative and allows you to lower your power bill. Simple actions like lowering your thermostat in the winter and raising it in the summer can result in savings on your power bill.
Wasco Electric is working hard to help its members save energy and money. We continue to offer free home weatherization audits and rebates for insulation and window upgrades. We offer rebates for replacing some of your older appliances and upgrading to an energy-efficient heat pump system. We also offer energy-saving rebates for lighting upgrades in commercial businesses and several saving opportunities for our irrigated agriculture sector.
You can learn more about your energy-saving opportunities by calling our member services representative at (541) 296-2740.
