Spokane7
55°
January 23, 2009 in Region
Avista wants more money
Avista Utilities today asked Washington and Idaho regulators to approve electricity and natural gas increases that will boost average combined monthly payments $9 to $10 per month.
Utility officials said the additional revenues are needed to cover higher energy costs, and upgrades to its distribution systems required to provide additional reliability, and serve new customers.
The Washington Utility and Transportation Commission has 11 months to rule on the applications, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission seven months.
If approved in full, Washington customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month in electricity will pay $82.93, up $6.99, or 9.2 percent. Natural gas bills, based on 70 therms of consumption each month, will climb 2.5 percent, or $2.11, to $87.51.
In Idaho, where consumers use an average 982 kilowatt-hours per month of electricity, bills would increase 7.8 percent to $85.18, up $6.71. Gas rates would increase $2.56 per month to $81.94— a 3.2 percent bump — based on 66 therms of consumption.
Among the factors driving the increases are expenses related to the relicensing of Avista dams on the Spokane River, the expiration of old, low-cost power contracts, and the doubling of material prices, said Vice President Kelly Norwood.
Caldwell: West Point trained local bankers to survive 
eagleproducer on January 23 at 8:40 p.m.
Again?
I thought energy prices have declined dramatically globally, yet Avista, fueled mainly by renewable sources like hydroelectric, needs to raise prices?
Didn’t I read just last week they were required to give a rebate to customers that were overcharged because of the reduction in wholesale natural gas prices?
Let me know when an executive at Avista takes a pay cut to keep the company viable.
Nationalized energy, anyone?
zelda on January 23 at 11:23 p.m.
Avista’s credibility meter is reading zero.
gh74ia on January 23 at 11:30 p.m.
This is not the time to be asking for rate changes. The estimated rate increases of 9 to 10 dollars per customer are well below reality. During peak months of winter and summer, those amounts are grossly underestimated. Every American is being asked or forced to cut back. How is it that Avista is raising rates by as much as 10%. Surely they can not and should not expect to keep profits steady as usual during these hard times. Smells of a monopoly to me and the commission examining the rate hike must consider Avista’s profits vs. the real needs of the utilties customers.