Smaller than expected rate increase coming to Grays Harbor PUD

A rate increase is coming for PUD customers, but it is lower than previously expected.

The Grays Harbor PUD tells KXRO that improving financial conditions and a colder winter will allow them to implement a smaller than expected rate increase in 2019.  

On Monday, the PUD Commissioners voted to adopt a 2.25% increase in customer rates, effective May 1st.  

The commissioners had originally set a 2.5% increase, effective April 1st when they passed the 2019 budget last November.

According to the PUD commissioners, rising power costs of over a half-million dollars and a projected rate increase by the Bonneville Power Administration of 2.9% in the fall are the main reasons for the increase.

“Not only were we able to delay the increase by one month, but for the second straight year, we were able to approve a smaller increase than we had budgeted for,” said Commission President Russ Skolrood.  “Waiting until the spring avoids increasing rates during cold weather, high energy usage months and it allows the utility time to assess its financial state and have a better idea of what size the increase needs to be.”

Under the new rate schedule an average customer bill, using 1200-kilowatt hours per month, will see an increase of $2.67.  

“We know that when rates go up, it has a big impact on our customers,” said Skolrood.  “Times are hard and every dollar counts. That is why our staff has worked to contain and control internal costs and we have worked with our partners at Bonneville, and in Olympia and Washington DC to keep power costs as low as they can practically be.”