The Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) has adopted a new rate schedule that will increase the average residential customer’s energy bill by about $8 a month beginning next year.
Under the new rate schedule, rates will increase by 7.1% in 2025 and 1.25% in 2026. The new rate schedule will take effect on Jan. 1.
“Unfortunately, due to increasing costs of power and materials, we have to make the difficult decision to raise rates,” PUD Commissioner Ed Rothlin said in a statement. “The power Lewis County PUD purchases to pass along to our customers is 60% of our budget and there are significant projected increases coming to the cost of that power. To mitigate this as much as possible, we have made the internal cuts we can without sacrificing safety and reliability.”
The plan, officially passed during a meeting of the PUD commissioners Tuesday night, will help the PUD address rising operating costs, including higher staffing costs and a 10% rate increase from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), according to PUD officials.
According to PUD General Manager David Plotz, power supply makes up about 60% of the PUD’s expenses. During a Sept. 17 PUD commissioners meeting, Plotz noted that the increased costs from BPA are not exclusive to Lewis County PUD and that other regional utilities are projecting similar increases.
The plan will mean a monthly increase of $7.81 in 2025 and an additional $1.48 in 2026 for the average residential customer. For commercial users, the plan would mean an average increase of $143.90 in 2025 and an extra $27.13 in 2026.
Under the new schedule, the PUD’s rates would remain comparable with surrounding utility providers, including Centralia City Light.
“Over the last few years, the commissioners have diligently worked with staff to keep rates for our customers as low as possible,” PUD Commissioner Michael Kelly said. “With the anticipated Bonneville Power Association 10% rate increase in 2025, the one-off weather event this last January and other miscellaneous factors the need for a rate adjustment is necessary. The commissioners have carefully analyzed the proposed budget and along with staff have made cuts in 2025 and 2026. These cuts will minimize the impact on rates to our customers while still maintaining the integrity of our publicly owned utility.”
The higher rates come after the commissioners opted to keep rates steady between 2023 and 2024. Now facing an increase in each of the next two years, some at the PUD’s Sept. 3 meeting said the commissioners should have gradually increased rates over time, rather than a steeper jump in a shorter period.
Community-owned, the PUD provides infrastructure, power and telecommunication services to roughly 35,000 customers in Lewis County and surrounding areas.
Lewis County PUD offers a variety of programs to assist customers with their bills, including energy audits, rebates, a senior low-income program, a residential budget payment plan and commercial and industrial efficiency programs, among others.
“We understand the impact that rate increases can have on our customers,” Plotz said in a statement.
“However, the costs of delivering reliable and safe electricity have risen across the board. The rate increase will allow us to continue providing the high-quality service our customers expect.”
Learn more about the PUD and its services and programs at https://www.lcpud.org/.
