Avista Wants 15.9%, 6.5% More From Idahoans

Avista Utilities has filed a request with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to increase electricity bills by 15.9 percent and natural gas by 6.5 percent, according to a company press release. That would translate into a $10.70 cost increase for a customer using 977 kilowatt hours of electricity, or $4.91 for a customer using 65 therms of natural gas, per month. Avista CEO Scott Morris said in a press release that the rate increases are primarily driven by increased prices for fuel, higher costs for purchasing power and investments made to aging infrastructure to keep up with growing demand/Spokesman-Review. More here

Question: Do you think these are legitimate increases?