Grant PUD Commission Mulling New Rate Policies
Grqant PUD commissioners are generally supportive of a revision to the rate policy after a board discussion on September 24th.
The revisions are the result of several months of discussion, public outreach, and staff reports, according to a news release.
The changes consider “core” customers to be residential, agriculture and small businesses and should be first in line for power generated by Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams. Core customer power rates should be at or below Grant PUD’s cost to serve them.
Non-core customers would have access to surplus power.
Other rate policy revisons that Grant PUD Commissioners are considering:
- The revisions include rate assessments at least every two years and classifying customers in the most advantageous rate category they qualify for
- Grant PUD would put customers in the rate that is most advantageous for the customer that they qualify for
- Rate changes would occur in small, predictable increases as directed by the commission. Allocations per rate class would be no less than 0.5 times and no more than 2 times the proposed overall rate increase.
The commissioners are expected to review and take formal action on the changes by the end of the year.
Grant PUD Commissioners will hold two public hearings for the 2025 budget on Tuesday, Oct 8, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. in the Commission Room of the Ephrata PUD Headquarters building at 30 C Street SW. Both have an option for the public to attend in person or remote.
To learn more about the preliminary budget and for information on how to attend virtually, see https://www.grantpud.org/commission-meetings#publichearings.
The Surprising Depths of the Columbia River
Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton