February 17, 2011 in News

Avista reports higher earnings

Avista Corp. today reported net income of $92.4 million, or $1.65 per share, for 2010, compared to $87.1 million, or $1.58 per share, for 2009.

For the fourth quarter of 2010, Avista’s net income was $25.7 million, or 45 cents per share, compared to $22.1 million, or 40 cents per share, for the fourth quarter of 2009.

In a press release, Chairman and CEO Scott Morris described 2010 as a “solid year.” He attributed the growth in earnings to lower power supply costs and cost controls at the Spokane-based utility, as well as revenue growth at Avista subsidiary Advantage IQ, which helps companies manage their energy use.

Morris also said lower power supply costs helped the utility offset the effect of mild temperatures last January through March, which led to customers using less energy.

49 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

cheneyfarms on February 17 at 8:27 a.m.
Let me get this right. Avista attributes a portion of the $5.3 million net profit over last year, totaling $92.4 million net profit, to ‘lower power supply costs’ but the state regulators and Avista went ahead with a rate increase this year.
D Statler on February 17 at 8:29 a.m.
LOOK OUT ! Time to submit a rate request to the UTC again.Profits are up. That was what happened when the UTC granted the last (3)increases too. I am glad AVISTA is so well managed. Mr. Morris will surely receive $4 MILLION in compensation this year! LOL
Hey Doug, this might be the direction to point the MAC staff for financial support.
Dan_at_Avista on February 17 at 9:02 a.m.
Cheney,
Good point, “lower power supply costs” can’t really be predicted ahead of time. Rates, which are set by utility commissions, are based on the best available information at that time looking backward – they call it a “test year.” Just as the weatherman can’t tell you exactly how much it will snow, we can’t know with 100% certainty that our dams (our cheapest power supply resource other than energy efficiency) will have enough snowpack/water to be maximized. We want them to be fully utilized. It’s a good thing because they are a good, renewable, inexpensive resource for our customers. Those power supply costs also come in the form of natural gas fired power plants, coal, biomass and wind contracts. Energy prices change in real time every hour of the day, but are only modified for customers when rates are adjusted, usually once a year.
As always, if anyone wants to talk Avista in person or in private, e-mail me at: conversation at avistautilities dot com
-Dan
DHF on February 17 at 9:04 a.m.
Glad to see Avista had such a solid year. It’s to bad that not all of the rate payers could say the same when they get their pay checks or pink slip. Glad I dont live in your county and have to rely on them for my power. Your rates are horrible when you figure the average income in Spokane. They laugh all the way to the bank because they have a monopoly and there is nothing you can do about it. You can blame the idiots that allow the rate increases.
spokanecougar on February 17 at 9:15 a.m.
Thank god the Avista plant Dan is in here to comment and help spread the lies from Avista. Amazing that people can actually defend a monopoly that makes money off forcing its customers to pay as much as possible to stay warm in the winter.
Guess this means Avista can throw some more extravagant retirement or birthday parties for its executives and they can keep flying first class now.
Oh yeah, you also know this means Avista is going to increase our rates yet again now.
Orange on February 17 at 9:16 a.m.
No kidding they have higher earnings. We’ve had rate increases to insure they show a profit. I swear this paper puts Avista’s earnings and rate increases in here just to boost the comments of ill-will towards Avista.
rkellie on February 17 at 9:23 a.m.
The least Avista could do is pass some of last years profits on to the consumers this year. If you can’t predict some costs ahead of time, then “pay back” when you know. At least use it to assist the elderly or the poor during the winter months.
D Statler on February 17 at 9:30 a.m.
He’s Back ! Hi Dan, that didn’t take long. LOL Any chance AVISTA could support and keep the doors open at the Museum of Arts and Culture with all that extra profit? Sure would make a good statement about your company.I’m sure that Mr. Morris is over extended and can’t afford to support the Museum by himself. Glad to see you were not eliminated in the internal performance, cost cutting moves at AVISTA!
Seriously Dan, please ask around and see if Scott and the Boys can throw the Museum a bone. ThankYou
ps. I made it thru another winter @ 60 degrees :^)
CommonSenseJoe on February 17 at 9:51 a.m.
Avista reports higher earnings, and I report a higher electric bill… there’s a ground breaking story there
johnclarke on February 17 at 9:52 a.m.
With the reduction in heating support from the Fed, I hope that we can look to Avista to share their windfall profits with the less fortunate.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on February 17 at 9:53 a.m.
Ha. I could have told you they had a solid year. I helped them have it.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 10:01 a.m.
When I bought my house eleven years ago, the power company was WWP, and they changed their name to Avista. My highest power bill was $45 in the winter. Now it goes well over $250. That’s 5.6 times what it was in eleven years.
The first rate increase was blamed on three years of drought. It was a big rate increase. The next three years were record snowfall, but still had rate increases because Avista wasn’t making a profit.
Next came a rate increase because of the power shortage in California. Avista said it could make more money selling our power to Cali, so if we wanted power, we had to match Cali prices.
Pretty soon, they quit making up excuses to jack the rates and just did it.
Kinda funny that you see the fleets of brand new trucks with brand new backhoes, on brand new trailers. When it was called WWP, they had equipment from the 60’s that they maintained. Those equipment rigs cost around $300,000 each. How many are there now? I was told that Avista sells them with less than 300 hours on them. That’s basically new. I was also told that they sell them for pennies on the dollar, to show a huge loss.
All of the small trucks and cars are brand new also. They are everywhere.
The executives get multi million dollar bonuses, and the other employees get huge salaries, with great benefits.
Every meter on every building has an electronic sensor that is read by a computerized gizmo. Every power pole has a computerized transformer. How much did we pay for those?
One more trick was to jack the natural gas prices because of Hurricane Katrina, and then because of the oil spill, but ALL of our natural gas comes from Alaska. We don’t get an ounce of gas from the Gulf.
The City of Spokane restricts burning from a woodstove. They won’t allow you to have any kind of boiler that is wood fired. They also won’t allow you to have a wind turbine/windmill in the city. The only option is solar, to get out of paying Avista rates, but it takes 450 years for a solar system to pay for itself if you install it yourself. I don’t think you will live that long.
Dan_at_Avista on February 17 at 10:39 a.m.
CheezWiz,
there is so much incorrect information in your rant that I’m not sure where to start. I have no doubt that your energy bill is higher today than it was 11 years ago. Our rates have increased on pace with the rest of the country. But your bill isn’t dependant on the price alone, its usage as well. You haven’t used any more energy in 11 years? The efficiency of your equipment hasn’t changed as it’s aged? I’d be happy to have a customer service rep review your account and find why your bill has increased. Just e-mail me conversation at avistautilities dot com.
Couple more things for Cheez: Energy prices are set by the local market and resources, not California prices. That’s just silly. Meters in Idaho include computer chips, most meters in WA are analog and do not. Transformers are not computerized, in fact most don’t have any moving parts at all, yet we are investing in our system to make it more reliable, adaptable and efficient. Wholesale natural gas prices are a pass through costs, we don’t make a profit on it, so why would we “jack up” prices? We’re regulated, they review this stuff.
r k and undooly_prosecuted,
I can’t say anything specifically about the MAC, but I’ll ask around. We did increase our charitable donations to local non-profits this year by $2 million. These donations come from company profits and are not paid for by customers.
spokanecougar, I love that you call me a “plant.” Doesn’t that imply that I’m here in secret? I’m one of the few people out here who isn’t anonymous. I’m easy to find. Just trying to address the concerns of those who comment online. There’s no reason that misconceptions or mischaracterizations of Avista should be perpetuated. People just have to be willing to listen and have a conversation.
lewis8457 on February 17 at 10:42 a.m.
at least i can kind of control my Avista bill by conserving. My city bill is not as flexible. My sewer, water service, and garbage rate remains the same regardless of how much or little I use them. I can not cancel my city garbage bill, and transport my self. After the recent trash summit we can expect to see out trash rates go up. So my normal 78 dollar monthly bill without water usage added in will be a cool 100 bucks.
Every single month, sure I pay more to Avista in the winter but in the summer I normally only pay 35 or 50 dollars but the city it is 78 soon to be 100+ bucks every single month.
I wonder what the rate increase numbers are for the city utilities matched up to Avista?
wcpeabody on February 17 at 11:00 a.m.
Dan,
Hi, I do not have a dog in this fight (we live outside of town) but when you said:
“These donations come from company profits and are not paid for by customers.”
If the profits are not from customer payments where do they come from?
Are not the customers Avistas primary source of income?
ncandersen on February 17 at 11:09 a.m.
I regularly read but rarely post in these forums, but today I felt obliged. I am an Avista gas/electric customer, and have been in my home since Nov ‘04. At that time, my Avista bill was $250/month. Since then, I have replaced the furnace and put in a programmable thermostat, added central air, put in a new water heater, replaced the windows, added insulation in the walls and attic, swapped out light bulbs, put in energy efficient appliances, and received a check from Avista every time I made energy efficiency improvements (and wrote a sizeable chunk off on my taxes). Last year, my comfort level bill was $104/month, and last month I got a check from Avista for $60 for overpayment. That means it cost me $99/month to heat/cool my 2000sf home. And, I should mention that I work from home, so my house is heated to 68 from 5am-9pm, and drops down to 62 at night. If you take advantage of the programs Avista has available to decrease your energy useage, you should see similar results. I have lots of complaints about things in this town, but Avista ain’t one of them…
oneanddone on February 17 at 11:26 a.m.
Be glad you don’t have Kootenai Electric. They’re so focused toward business, because they’re run by business owners, that they make residential customers subsidize them. We pay $16 no matter how much we conserve. Obviously those who use the most, many paying the same rate as I do, have that surcharge buried in their total bill. The rate structure should be tiered, base on usage, and there should be NO fee just for being their customer. For 1000kwh, Kootenai electric is one of the highest charges in the NW - only because local business owners skew the rates for their benefit.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 11:30 a.m.
So Dan, we were never told that Avista had to increase our electricity rates because they made more money selling power to California? I seem to remember at the same time, Kaiser shut down it’s Mead plant because it made a deal with Avista to send electricity to Cali. Pretty clear in my mind that Avista told us that we might have brown outs, because most of our power was diverted to Cali. That was the reason for a big rate increase. Anyone else remember that, besides Dan?
Our natural gas rates did increase because of Katrina, even though we get all of our gas from Alaska. You know that’s true. Market price is your price. Whatever Avista feels like that market will bear. It as no competition and spends money on new everything to decrease profits. That allows Avista to increase rates, due to shortfalls, since we are no longer in droughts. You can’t use the drought excuse any more.
Maybe my memory is better than most.
My gas furnace is less than six years old. My gas water heater in less than a year old. The efficiency of my equipment isn’t the problem. My programmable thermostat is turned to 59 degrees, but it used to be set to 68 degrees during my first few winters. I increased the insulation in my attic and added insulation to my walls. I installed better weatherstrip. To help the efficiency of my furnace, I took the filter out his year. I haven’t compared it yet, to see if that helps, but it can’t be good for my furnace. My energy use keeps going down and my bill keeps going up and up and up.
I am pretty sure you can’t help anything by reviewing my account. You know why my rates have increased, as well as I do. Thanks for the lame offer though. Mighty nice of you to act like you are actually concerned.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 11:42 a.m.
Neil Andersen, how many THOUSANDS of dollars did you have to spend to save $150/month in the winter?
New furnace: $1500
New Programmable thermostat: $120
New windows @ $250 ea. x 20 = $5000
New appliances: $2000+
New water heater: $350+
New insulation: $1500+
Total lowball cost: $10,470
Should take 74 years to pay for your upgrades, but your upgrades won’t last that long. Neither will you.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 11:47 a.m.
Neil Andersen, I forgot to mention that since you went from monthly billing to comfort level billing, you aren’t actually saving $150/month, so it will take well over 100 years to pay for your upgrades that will be outdated and inefficient in ten years. I also forgot to mention your rebates, but those rebates come from customers who can’t afford to throw THOUSANDS of dollars at making their house more efficient.
ncandersen on February 17 at 11:52 a.m.
Cheesewiz,
Using your numbers (which are close, but on the high side) it’s 69.8 “months”, not years, to recoup my investment (the bill was not just winter months, but summer with window ac’s as well). Already past that point. And that doesn’t factor in the Federal energy improvement tax credits or the rebates I got from Carrier (furnace/ac) or the window vendor. Nor does it include the resale value of having newer, efficient mechanical systems, better insulation and vinyl windows. As an example: I recently refinanced, and the appraisal ding’ed my $2k cuz I didn’t have central ac. Know what it cost me to add it? $1800. All money well spent, IHMO.
schleufer on February 17 at 11:53 a.m.
http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/database.cfm?tkr=AVA&pg=1
How Other Workers Compare to Your CEO

See recent figures on average compensation by major job classification and compare these to what the CEO makes.
How many workers could be supported by S. L. Morris’s pay package?S. L. Morris made $3,028,018, which is equal to:
1 Nobel prize winners
7 average university presidents
7 U.S. presidents
11 AFL-CIO presidents
16 Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
94 average workers
200 minimum-wage earners

How long would it take to equal S. L. Morris’s total compensation for 2009?
A Nobel prize winner would have to work until 2011 A.D.
An average university president would have to work until 2017 A.D.
The President of the United States would have to work until 2017 A.D.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney would have to work until 2021 A.D.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would have to work until 2026 A.D.
An average worker would have to work until 2104 A.D.
A minimum-wage earner would have to work until 2210 A.D.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 11:59 a.m.
Oops, you’re right, it’s months, not years. My stupid mistake, but it’s still well over 100 months for your upgrades to pay for themselves. That’s still 8 1/2+ years. I will bet that my estimates are on the extreme low side, since I bid those things for a living.
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 12:09 p.m.
Neil Andersen, I also forgot to mention that you either had to replace your siding, or had ugly hole patches in your existing siding, or replaced your drywall, or had patches to the drywall. In either case, you had a repaint, which adds another couple thousand to the price. Possibly another $6000, if you siding was replaced and painted. That brings it to a total of over 150 months for your upgrades to pay for themselves. That’s 12 1/2+ years. I still have a hard time believing that your 2000 square foot house is that efficient. If there was no insulation in the walls, then it has only an R14 insulation factor, at the very best, since your walls would be 2x4 construction.
Dan_at_Avista on February 17 at 12:20 p.m.
Cheez, It’s a little confusing, but states like California consider our hydro projects renewable under their laws, where as WA an ID do not. They pay a premium for that energy just to fulfill their requirements. That doesn’t mean your rates match theirs. In fact we pay some of the lowest prices for energy in the country.
Concerning natural gas, we don’t get all our supply from Alaska, I’m not sure how you’d know that even it were true. I wrote a blog post about natural gas and the wholesale market back in 2009: http://www.avistautilities.com/community/blog/archive/2009/09/03/090309.aspx . More to the point, if natural gas wholesale prices increase, it’s not because Avista raised them, it’s the market. The actual cost of the gas is a pass through cost. We don’t make a profit off it.
ncandersen on February 17 at 12:24 p.m.
My house is sided with cedar lap siding, with redwood sheathing. Gale came out, took down two strips of siding (one high, one low), drilled through the sheathing, blew in cellulose insulation, plugged the holes in the sheathing, and put the lap siding back up. I had to paint nail holes, and that was it. I did repaint it a couple years ago, but that had nothing to do with the insulation job. I have 1100 finished sf on the main floor, and ~900 finished sf in the basement. And it’s all heated/cooled/lit year round. I’ve saved all the receipts, I’d be happy to show them to you.
Thoreau on February 17 at 12:27 p.m.
Avista is greedy. In the summer, I use no air conditioning. In the winter, I keep the temp inside my home at 63 most of the day and night. I even resort to a wood-burning stove in frigid temps, but I rely mainly on an electric furnace. I have dimmers on most of the lights, CFL bulbs, and never have a light on unless I’m in that room. I do not have the choice of natural gas, since it isn’t available where I live. In short, I’m doing everything prescribed to save energy and money, yet I pay exorbitant costs for my electricity service, especially this winter, after the lates rate increase took effect. I laugh when I see the box for donating money, or “sharing” on my bill every month. Moreover, I laugh when the Avista newletter that accompanies my bill encourages the customer to save money. I wonder how much overhead the company has. I wonder why they don’t donate or “share”. I wonder how much profit they make for having the Indians play in “their” ballpark. Spokane County allows this price gouging at the same time they threaten with higher air quality standards for wood-burning stoves. I suspect that unions and cronies have much to do with sticking it to the customer, who must pay a large percentage of his income on the essential need for survival - heat. I agree with those here who suggest that, now that the company has made profit, lower the rates, or grant refunds. If Avista doesn’t, they are no different than Ebeneezer Scrooge, withholding heat from poor Bob Cratchit.
zelda on February 17 at 12:27 p.m.
It’s time cut Dan@Avista some slack. The day is coming when he’ll be replaced by an IBM Watson natural-language computer. When you complain about rate hikes and CEO compensation, the automated voice will say, “What is Toronto????”
SpokaneLiberal on February 17 at 12:28 p.m.
So Dan if this lower energy prices is a test year for next year it means we can expect a rate CUT next year correct? At least that would be the Avista recommendation? Since the best data from last year shows low energy costs you can afford a rate cut, correct?
hawken on February 17 at 12:42 p.m.
Dan: hang in there…. too many want their utilities for virtually nothing and have no clue as to the costs and complications to deliver the power.
I can assure you of this, based upon my experience with this group. Common sense, facts, costs and details will never convince the far left.
It is to your credit that you are responding as you are.
Good luck.
DHF on February 17 at 12:44 p.m.
After thinking about it ,Avista is a lot like the Oil Companies. Every time someone in the middle east has a bowel movement the price of Gas goes up. Your company is no different and you can justify the increases any way you want but will your costumers believe you. I would like to think not.
greenlibertarian on February 17 at 12:58 p.m.
“Our natural gas rates did increase because of Katrina, even though we get all of our gas from Alaska. You know that’s true.”
FYI, I believe all of the natural gas Avista supplies around here comes from Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, or Alberta, Canada, not from Alaska.
hawken on February 17 at 1:03 p.m.
Recommendation to DHF and other, unrealistic, complainers….
If you don’t like the fact that many public utilities are monopolies, like AVISTA, take that up with our liberal US Senators and see how far you get.
Meanwhile, there is a public utilities commission that oversees Avista and other public utility monopolies.
Otherwise, your venting, albeit your right, is nothing more than pizzen in the wind.
I guess you could tell AVISTA to stop providing power to your home. That would show them! Don’t you think?
zelda on February 17 at 1:12 p.m.
The energy crisis a decade ago turned out to be bogus, a deceitful manipulation by Enron. And then there was Deepwater Horizon, so how can people not have a low level of trust in energy companies generally?
But we dare not stray too far from The Narrative because, as Rolling Stone reporter Mike Taibi sardonically put it these corporations are “…not an appropriate target for anger because we just need them so badly..”
Like Goldman Sachs, Avista is doing God’s work.
You can see it happening again with food prices and clothing. It’s like commodity producers are always testing the waters, exploiting, fabricating or re-interpreting events to justify price hikes; constantly feeling us out to see how much they can charge. Pricing strategy is an awesome thing.
Besides, it’s time that consumer realize that customers are almost beside the point. They’re a means to an end to provide profit. That used to be something that benefited shareholders, or so the textbooks told us. Now it’s mostly about enriching the execs and the board (made up of other exec cronies).
If Lloyd Blankfein doesn’t think he makes too much money, why should Scott Morris feel any less humble?
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 1:18 p.m.
Neil Andersen, I’d love to meet you, since you are throwing money around. Maybe I can bid on some more projects that will save you more money. By the time you get my bill, it will take over 100 years to pay for your upgrades. When do you hit “the point of diminishing returns?”
Hawken, do you really think I’m far Left? Seriously? I am quite the opposite. I am as far Right as they get. Avista is as close to a tax as it gets, and I really don’t like taxes. And….. There are all those pesky taxes attached to my Avista bill that I haven’t mentioned. No point in that. Are you really OK with Avista replacing their trucks, heavy equipment, trailers, and vehicles every year? Multi million dollar bonuses? Exorbitant salaries? Using droughts and California power shortages to raise our rates? Using Katrina to raise our rates, when our gas comes from Alaska? Regulating / outlawing our ability to produce our own heat and electricity? Maybe you are Left and you don’t know it. Come out of the closet.
greenlibertarian, So…. where does the natural gas from the fourth largest producer of natural gas go, then? Maybe I was wrong. Either way, we don’t get our gas from the Gulf of Mexico, which raised our rates…. Twice in the last five years, I believe.
mikeln on February 17 at 2:14 p.m.
I sure am glad I’m not on the grid, don’t miss those energy bills at all. The only way to fight this to stop buying so much energy from these people. Good luck with that, alternatives take more work then just pluging something into the wall. But if you do the work you can be satisfied that you did the one thing that could hurt these people bottom line. I would have no problem paying the people that go out and actually do the work the money they are worth, which is a lot. It would, however, be best if the energy was in control of the people. Putting this kind of power over ones self in the hands of private buisness is dangerous and never should have been allowed. It’s time for for the government to realize their mistake in letting this happen. If anything, this is one of the most important security issues we have ever faced.
valleyman on February 17 at 2:58 p.m.
I will be expecting Avista to reinvest their profits and the fruits of that reinvestment will make the previous several rate increases (that were billed as necessary to improve equipment and renew leases) unnecessary. Those rate increases will then be rescinded and I will notice a drop in my rates. I know it’s way too much to expect a credit to my account for the overbilling based on “anticipated rates.”
The simple fact of the matter is this: Avista is a power monopoly. Because they have no competition, they can do whatever they want and we the rate payers are held hostage to that. Regulators should insist on two energy providers and we should get to choose between them not be forced to go with Avista because we happen to live within their service area. Monopolies in the business world aren’t tolerated, and they shouldn’t be tolerated in the utility world either.
Now, back to earning a pay check so I can pay for the next rate increase that is coming for some reason or another…
greyhound2 on February 17 at 3:01 p.m.
A “solid” year means the for-profit monopoly utility can “solidly” gouge ratepayers for the benefit of over-paid executives, greedy Wall Street stockholders and rubber-stamp, appointed commissioners with no worries of ever being hauled on the carpet by anybody at anytime. They might even get a metal in our twisted, sick system!
SpokaneLiberal on February 17 at 3:16 p.m.
Hawken complains when Spokane raises water/sewer/garbage but then praises avista when they raise other utilities? We like to call that inconsistency. And hawken really? Where is your market principles now? Oh right, you are a corporatist not a capitalist. You don’t like markets because to have efficient ones you have to have a government that breaks up monopolies.
Dan I am still hoping for an answer to my question. With this test year of low commodity prices for next year it means we can expect a rate CUT next year correct? At least that would be the Avista recommendation? Since the best data from last year shows low energy costs you can afford a rate cut, correct?
ncandersen on February 17 at 3:30 p.m.
Cheezwiz,
You got me wondering, so I went and dug out my receipts:
New furnace: $1500 Actually $2800 (included electronic air cleaner and AC coil)
New Programmable thermostat: $120 Actually $60
New windows @ $250 ea. x 20 = $5000 Actually 3800
New appliances: $2000+ Actually $1440 ($900 Fridge, $540 NG Range)
New water heater: $350+ Actually $200
New insulation: $1500+ Actually $1100
Total lowball cost: $10,470 Actual total $9400
Now, I installed the thermostat, water heater and appliances myself, so I saved a bit there. But using that figure, I have already recouped my investment (63 months), and I am now reaping the savings. And none of this includes the federal tax credits I received (~$1000 as I recall). If you’d like to meet, I’ll be glad to show you the receipts from Cougar Mechanical, Gale Insulation, McVay Siding & Windows, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Perhaps your favorite pub, I’ll buy you a beer with some of my savings!
Cheezwhiz on February 17 at 3:55 p.m.
What the hell… I’m a cheap date. Unfortunately, I don’t like drinking as much as I used to. I’ll take a root beer please.
Dan_at_Avista on February 17 at 4:07 p.m.
SpokaneLiberal,
Thanks for your question, twice. We’ve said publically before that we’re likely to file rate cases every year at some point. I’d love to answer your question, but quite honestly I don’t know the answer, we haven’t filed anything in 2011 in WA or ID. But consider this: you’re assuming that the exact same operations and maintenance costs, power outages, electricity and natural gas loads, weather conditions and dozens of other things would happen again the next year without any variation. That’s not realistic.
hawken on February 17 at 7:05 p.m.
SpokaneLiberal
You say….
Hawken complains when Spokane raises water/sewer/garbage but then praises avista when they raise other utilities?
I’m on septic, have my own well and haul my own garbage to the Sullivan Solid Waste Station. I have never commented on water/sewer/garbage. This only illustrates even more that you make things up as you go. As it serves your purpose.
Bullshapitsca on February 17 at 8:06 p.m.
Cheezwhiz
Your Kattrina/Alaska argument and your knowledge of maintaining a fleet of equipment and rolling stock profitably are just two things in your argument that demonstrate you don’t let facts get in the way of your oppinion. An event that creates a commodity shortage can raise the price of said commodity regardless of supply location. If you refuse to accept this simple side effect of supply and demand it would be a waste of time trying to explain how depreciation, tax law, market value and many other things figure in to the bottom line on equipment maintenance.
greenlibertarian on February 17 at 9:07 p.m.
“you’re assuming that the exact same operations and maintenance costs…”
-Dan
Oddly, there was far less information about changes in operating expenses in the 2010 report as compared to the 2009 report.
D Statler on February 17 at 9:48 p.m.
Giving credit where it is due.I have not seen any import vehicles in AVISTA’s fleet yet.There is a local firm taking care of their beautiful head quarters campus. There is some money coming back.Unfortunately,the truth was hit right on the nose in an earlier post.Allowing privatization of this country’s energy was a huge mistake.Deregulation has had many terrible effects also.
We middle class Americans are diminishing at a excellerated rate. The extremely wealthy are getting richer at the same rate.The poor seem to be happy getting free hand outs and earned income credits from the Government.This actually could be one of the biggest security threats to our society.When nobody can afford to pay for the energy.We will be forced to take it by force. The forces of change accross the middle east are just around the corner in America if the Government stays on the present course.
I voted for Obama under the winds of change.This was truely a grave mistake.The only change we have seen is in the amount of money our Great Grand Children will be paying back.Nothing has been done that was promised.Only more of the same.
Our energy rates will go up again and again.We can blame ourselves for not taking over the UTC.For letting the Attourney General represent the UTC and AVISTA ratepayers.For setting in our lazy boy recliners instead of camping in front of the courthouse.For not getting the point firmly delivered to our state Senators,Representatives and Governor that we are tired of this abuse and monopoly.It amazes me that I was the only one holding a sign in front of AVISTA last year.I am surrounded by a bunch of pathetic loosers.Can I get a job at AVISTA please Dan?
Bullshapitsca on February 17 at 11:38 p.m.
undooly,
Most people don’t see the need or have the time to camp at the courthouse or make a sign protesting one of the lowest power rates in the nation. Should all of these “pathetic losers” that keep the economy going by the sweat of their brow take a day off to mount a protest every time there is a price increase on anything that they consume? Excuse my French, but what the hell is wrong with Avista making a profit? Avista provides this region with cheap reliable power and you advocate more government control. By the way, the forces of change in the Middle East you speak of to prop up your argument are for less government regulation and control.
FreeMeat on February 18 at 1:10 a.m.
Avista is a public utility. also the #1-3 tax payer in spokane county every year! our utilities companies make more money than any spokane business!!!! MONOPOLY?? FOR SURE!!! REGULATED??? yes buy corrupt and inadequate government agencies!!!
as government regulation?? absolutely!!
and ya!! Avista, FU cut me off!! I’ll buy propane!!!
Hawken do you pay Avista bills??
misjustice on February 19 at 9:45 a.m.
I heat my modest 1000 square foot home with wood. I love going to the wood pile and givin’ Avista the one finger salute! I do everything that I can to not use electricity, or use it sparingly.
With their never ending rate increases, rubber stamped by the utilites rate commission (which has succumbed to “Capture Theory), I have seen my bill go from $16.00 per month (in 2000) to over $45.00 per month (currently). And my consumption has not increased.
Well, time to head to the wood pile to chop my weekly supply of heating fuel. Here’s to you, Avista! SALUTE!
; )