Capacity charge for irrigators goes down

PUD drops rate 10 percent Jan. 3

EPHRATA — The Grant County Public Utility District board of commissioners reduced the capacity charge under the irrigation service rate schedule last week.

The capacity charge, sometimes called season monthly minimum charge, is an annual recurring charge based on the customer's billing horsepower.

The irrigator's billing horsepower equals the total horsepower ratings of all customers' equipment potentially operated at the same time under one meter.

Irrigators received a 10 percent drop in the charge, starting Jan. 3.

The district receives about 3.5 percent of its average irrigation service revenue from the capacity charge, said Gary Garnant, the district's public affairs officer.

Irrigation customers are billed 75 percent of the year's capacity charge in February, which is due in April. Some irrigators find paying 75 percent before the season begins difficult, leading to complaints from irrigators, said Garnant.

Pumping operations are energized for the season upon payment of the charge in April.

The remaining 25 percent of the capacity charge is billed during mid-season meter readings in July and August, when irrigators receive their first energy charge of the year.

Commissioner Greg Hansen said the district first discussed lowering the capacity charge during the recent budget workshops, deciding to insert a 10 percent reduction for the first of the year.

An end-of-season billing in November includes actual meter readings for the year and corresponding energy charges must be paid in January or irrigators face additional charges.