Grant County PUD mulls higher rates

About 20 people attend rate workshop

EPHRATA - A document unveiled Wednesday during a Grant County PUD rate workshop showed the utility wants to collect an increased $102.6 million in rates from 2009 to 2014.

There are no rate increases in the PUD's budget for this year.

But if any of the presented options are adopted by commissioners, power rates would increase for customers starting in 2009, said the utility's spokesperson Dorothy Harris.

Just how much a customer's power bill would increase wasn't discussed at the daylong meeting, Harris said. Instead, the revenue increase by percentages was shown for each rate class. At the end of the day, commissioners asked for more scenarios, she said.

The conversation about rates came about because of growth in Grant County and more financial demands to pay for aging infrastructure and licensing implementation, Harris said.

Commissioners may consider a different amount of needed money, she said.

The amount will depend on many factors, actual capital expenditures on dam improvements, fish spill costs and debt service ratio. A good or poor water year will also play into the commission's decision, she said.

It was mentioned last year during a budget workshop there wouldn't be any rate increases until 2012, Commissioner Greg Hansen said.

Chuck Berrie, the utility's assistant general manager, called the presented information "short of a staff proposal" and said commissioners hadn't seen the document until that day.

He told the audience of about 20 people the document represents a lot of compromise on the board.

He said there are concerns about "tremendous growth."

"We want steady, predictable increases for all classes," Berrie said.

He added the utility also wants to promote economic diversity.

Grant County irrigator Larry Williamson reminded the two newest commissioners, Terry Brewer and Bob Bernd, of their campaign promise not to raise rates.

Bill Judge of Quincy asked commissioners how smaller commercial users would be affected.

Commissioner Tom Flint said the umbrella the board is under is to protect the residential, commercial, irrigation and small industrial users.

"There a lot of debate about how the large industries will impact that," Flint said. "The goal is to have them pay more for the power and not have everyone else pay for it."

Commissioner Randy Allred said he never felt it was the best thing to wait until 2012 for an increase. The district needs to maintain a strong, viable cash position, he said.

Grant County Farm Bureau President John Bates farms in Grant County and Adams County. He told commissioners he spent less money buying power from Big Bend Electric Coop.

"Over those last two years, Big Bend cost me a lot less than Grant County," he said.

He told the Columbia Basin Herald last week of irrigators' concern about having the current seasonal minimum charge addressed.

PUD staff reportedly told a group of irrigators a few years ago about seeing either a reduction or elimination of the charge, he said.