Irrigation, industrial PUD rates topic of pending hearing

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD’s irrigation and industrial customers can offer comments about proposed rate structure changes during a public hearing in Ephrata Monday.

The rate hearing is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Grant County PUD headquarters at 30 C. St. S.W., in Ephrata.

According to the proposals, some of the suggestions result in rate increases for certain customers.

Changes to irrigators’ rates vary. Some customers could see a 1 percent to 6 percent increase, to others experiencing a 2 percent to 7 percent decrease. Some customers will see no changes.

Spokesperson Dennis Conley, of an agricultural customer group called Ag Power Users of Grant County, said the group met several times with PUD staff and commissioners.

“I think the commissioners will make a decision on our plan, their plan, or somewhere in between,” Conley said.

The only thing left unresolved is determining what’s revenue neutral, he said.

“We both agree we want to be revenue neutral,” Conley said. “Obviously, staff wants to be on the high side of revenue neutral.”

For industrial users, a proposed change includes a jump from .025 cents per kilowatt hour to .04 cents per kilowatt hour for future customers using the most power.

David Bailey, a industrial users spokesperson, said he and others group members plan to attend Monday’s meeting.

“We do have comments we want to give,” Bailey said. “The key thing is, we want time to respond to the presentation. We hope we have a week or so to give a response.”

Commissioners haven’t voted on the proposals. They also haven’t set a date for a decision, according to Sarah Morford, a utility spokesperson.

The structure changes being proposed for irrigators is to simplify the complicated rate class, she explained.

For the industrial class, the district is aiming “to provide tiered rates to mitigate for large rapid growth within the customer class and promote conservation,” she said.

With the proposals, the commission intends to provide preference for irrigators, small commercial and small residential customers, she said.

During Monday’s hearing, staff will give a brief summary on why changes to the rate structures are needed, discuss proposed changes and how the changes meet the requirements of the commission’s rate resolution, she added.

Written comments can be submitted by e-mail to commissioners@gcpud.org,  or in writing to PO Box 878, Ephrata, WA, 98823 or by visiting www.gcpud.org.