Slight break, followed by rate increase proposed for Avista’s Idaho customers

Avista’s Idaho customers could get a slight break on their electric bills beginning Oct 1., but could see rate increase later in the year.

The Spokane-based utility has proposed a 0.3 percent decrease on the part of customers’ electric bills that fluctuates annually based on wholesale energy rates and credits from the federal hydro power system. If approved by Idaho regulators, a typical household would get a 30-cent monthly savings.

Avista has a separate application pending before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to increase base electric rates by an average of 6.3 percent.

Avista serves about 125,000 electric customers in North Idaho. The utility is asking the commission for permission to increase its annual electric revenue by $15.4 million.

If the request is granted, a residential customer using an average of 918 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month would see an increase of about $6.54 per month. That includes a $1 proposed increase in the monthly customer service charge.

A public workshop on the proposed rate increase takes place at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library , 702 E. Front Ave.