Avista’s Idaho customers will get a slight break on their electric bills

Avista Utilities’ Idaho customers will get a slight break on their electric bills over the next 12 months.

The change, effective at the beginning of October, works out to a 30 cent savings on a typical residential customer’s bill.

Each fall, Avista’s electric rate is adjusted up or down based on changes in wholesale power costs over the past year and credits from the federal power system on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

The change was approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission.

The net reduction amounts to $516,000 for the utility’s residential and small farm customers.