Irrigators react to rate proposal

MOSES LAKE — Grant County PUD listened to mixed responses from irrigators concerning a proposal to simplify its irrigation rate structure.

The proposal involves replacing a seasonal minimum charge with a monthly demand charge and charging one rate.

Other irrigators will hear the same rate presentation at 6 p.m today in Quincy, at the Quincy Community Center. The center is located at 115 F. St. S.W., in Quincy. Another meeting is Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Royal City, at the Royal City High School library located at 911 Ahlers Road.

Grant PUD commissioners have not taken any action on the proposal.

During a recent presentation in Moses Lake, Dennis Conley, a spokesperson for the AG Power Users of Grant County, told commissioners the proposal is better for budgeting.

Irrigators can better calculate their payback and investment.

There are some points irrigators disagree with, he said.

They include addressing the cost of the proposed monthly meter reading and agreeing on an energy rate that brings them to revenue neutral, he explained.

Revenue neutral means increases for some, but not for others, resulting in a flat line for the district, explained Sarah Morford, a utility spokesperson.

Conley spoke of irrigators’ concerns about PUD staff reading meters because they wouldn’t know what chemicals the fields were sprayed with.

There’s also a concern about diseases being spread and PUD vehicles entering fields.

PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson said the meter issue may become a moot point because the district could be mandated to use SmartMeters, a utility meter aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

Conley addressed the perception that irrigators are being subsidized, responding to comments made by PUD Commissioner Bob Bernd, who cited a cost of service study.

Conley explained the numbers support they are not being subsidized. Irrigators pay 3.11 cents per kilowatt hour while entire energy sales come to 3.09 cents per kilowatt hour, he added.

Bernd later said farming was one of the county’s core industries and none of the commissioners felt agriculture has to equal everyone else.

Conley said the group will present a white paper explaining the value of irrigated agriculture in Grant County.

PUD Commissioner Tom Flint said if there are serious issues with the proposal and he wants to hear about them.

Coulee City farmer Phil Isaak said his rates went up 5.42 percent, or $17,000. He figured out the bill on his 22 accounts with the new rate formula.

He also pointed out large horsepower users are paying 2 percent of the total bills and consuming 2.5 percent of irrigated power.

Isaak said the situation was almost like the “Obama program,” prompting Ephrata farmer Howard Finke to say the rest of the irrigators subsidized Isaak. The average farmer subsidizes large corporate farms, Finke added.

Mick Hansen, of Moses Lake, asked the reason for the demand charge and suggested one power rate.

The utility hopes to have industrial and irrigation rates finalized by September, so customers can look at their budgets for 2010 for impacts, said Grant PUD spokesperson Dorothy Harris.

There will be a formal rate hearing before the commission makes any decisions, she said.

People can submit comments about the proposals online, at www.gcpud.org, or by mailing them to Grant PUD, PO Box 878, Ephrata, WA  98823.

They are also welcome to comment at weekly commission meetings, which are held on 1 p.m. each Monday.