PUD rates increase 2.5 percent for many customers

EPHRATA - Grant County PUD residential customers will see a 2.5 percent rate increase on their electrical bills in 2014. Small businesses, and some large businesses, also will see their rates go up by 2.5 percent in 2014. The PUD's commissioners approved a 2014 rate schedule during a recent board meeting.

General service, large general service, industrial and irrigation rates also will increase by 2.5 percent, according to a press release from PUD officials. Rates for ag food processing customers and ag food processing boiler customers went up 2.5 percent.

Large industrial customers will receive a 1 percent increase, and there's no change in the rate for streetlights.

The rates should increase revenue by about 2 percent, the press release said. The rate increase is designed to help pay for projects at Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams, prompted by requirements in the utility district's federal licenses.

The rate increases help cover some of the cost associated with the projects, and board members have asked the PUD staff to "continue looking into small predictable rate increases" designed to cover the costs gradually, the press release said.

"The board is also working to better align revenue requirements among customer groups based on the cost to serve each individual class," it said.