Benton PUD Rates Going Up

By Molly Kelleher

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Benton PUD customers are getting a rate hike. It's the first in seven years.

Story Published: Nov 9, 2009 at 10:01 PM PST

KENNEWICK -- Benton PUD customers are getting a rate hike. It's the first in seven years.

Just when you need a break, another hit on your budget. Starting the first of the year, Benton PUD is raising rates.

"It's something we don't take lightly. We don't work for profit but when power costs go up it shows up in our rates," said Karen Miller with Benton PUD.

The utility district's rates haven't gone up since 2003, in fact they've actually gone down.

Now a hike, PUD officials aren't saying how much extra it will cost you, they're still figuring it out.

But take the last increase. It was 6 percent and the average customer is paying $90 a month. So for that home, it would be an extra $5.40.

"Everything is going up. It's like what are we going to get for our money? The price is going up. But why?" said Mary Buroker, a PUD customer.

"The key impact on our rates is wholesale power rates going up and power resale going down," said Miller.

PUD buys from Bonneville Power and those rates are going up, plus people are using less power so Benton PUD's revenue is down.

So the trickle down from the big boys at Bonneville are hitting here and other PUDs across the region. And the trickle down then continues to businesses and homes.

"(Conserving energy) it's on my mind. I'll turn off lights and think about how many Christmas lights I put up this year," said Buroker.

"Cool weather means more use and you see your bill go up anyways," said Miller.

So conservation might be a bright idea in a time when rates are going up and temperatures are going down. Both will mean a bigger power bill.

Action News did check with Franklin PUD, they are not expecting a rate hike for 2010.

They're dipping into reserves to absorb the added costs instead of passing them on to customers.

There's a meeting about the Benton PUD rate hike Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in the Benton PUD auditorium.