Wwp Rolls Back Idaho Power Rates

Monthly bills of Washington Water Power Co.’s Idaho residential customers will be trimmed an average $1.16 by a rebate that takes effect Sunday.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved the change Wednesday. The Spokane utility requested the change last month.

WWP attributed the rollback to streamflows that averaged 23 percent above expectations between April 1996 and January 1997.

The flows cut company power costs by $2.6 million, the amount that will be rebated to customers. Under a plan instituted in 1989, rates are adjusted up or down whenever power costs deviate by more than $2.2 million from those authorized by the commission.

The provision has triggered three rate hikes and three cutbacks. The last rebate, implemented last Sept. 1, will remain in effect through August, raising the total monthly savings to homeowners to $2.27 for the next three months.

Other customer classes also will benefit.

, DataTimes