Spokane7
48°
July 26, 2010 in Business, Idaho
Avista rates could increase in Idaho by Oct. 1
Electricity rates up by 6.6 percent; natural gas rates by 1.9 percent
Avista’s Idaho customers could see a 6.6 percent hike in their electric bills by Oct. 1, along with a corresponding 1.9 percent hike in natural gas rates.
The Spokane-based utility has reached a proposed rate settlement with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission staff, several of its large customers and Community Action Partnership Association, which provides utility assistance to low-income families. The settlement must still be reviewed by the three-member Public Utilities Commission, which has the final say on setting rates.
If approved, electric bills for residential customers using 1,000 kilowatts of electricity each month would increase by $5.37 to $86.27.
Natural gas customers using 65 therms of gas each month would see their monthly bill increase by $1.71 to $59.40.
Miners to return to Lucky Friday 
Scoutster on July 26 at 3:49 p.m.
Avista paid its shareholders $1.00/share last go around.
They built their fortune on the backs of public works projects, and now just bleed the people.
It’s time to co-op these greedy leeches. Why should a monopoly utility be privately owned?
Shall we go back to toll roads and private fire departments, too?
JayNW on July 26 at 4:09 p.m.
yeah this is crap. I know one couple who live in a 2 bedroom, 1000 sq foot house and pay upwards of $250 a month in the winter, and avg $75 in the summer, without A/C. And that is typical of a lot of people in Idaho- who make a lot less than those of us in WA.
I’m not one to push gov’t regulation, but really pondering if its in our best interest in this situation.
mikeln on July 26 at 4:51 p.m.
They already are regulated. It does seem very easy for them to get more money when they want it. Same in Washington. Nice to pay for something that should belong to all of us. Makes me glad I haven’t lived on the grid for ten years, don’t miss the bills.
cdaterry1 on July 26 at 5:56 p.m.
this is completely wrong! The CEO of Avista just got a raise to $3,000,000 per year and the cabinet of minions are all making over 400k+ each per year……this is just a utility company - it is not rocket science - why is Avista being granted a rate increase?….this is unfair and symptomatic of what is going wrong in this country……there are many many unemployed people who are just as talented that could run a utility and gladly for $100-$200k per year….this rate increase is nonsense
mikeln on July 26 at 6:04 p.m.
This is a good old boys club, the guy at the top will “retire” in a couple of years with a great pension, somewhere around ten times the amount of money most real workers make and a new good old boy will replace him and so on and so on. Great work if you can get it.
dukkandpooh on July 26 at 7:50 p.m.
Well let’s see…my homeowner’s insurance went up, my car insurance, cable, cell phone, gasoline, food, homeowner’s dues, water, garbage, and now this (again). Sadly, my wages have not changed for three years, yet everyone wants to claim an extra chunk of my earnings. When does it end?
west on July 26 at 8:17 p.m.
Capitalism…anarchy is next for the cure…