For More Information Contact:
Lance Robertson, 984-4716 or 954-7509
Eugene Water & Electric Board

Oct. 4 , 2006

EWEB decreases electric rates for third time in two years

The Eugene Water & Electric Board has lowered electric rates again.

Commissioners on Tuesday night approved the 1.8 percent overall decrease. EWEB’s 85,000 customers will see the benefits of the lower rates reflected in their November bills.

Residential electric rates were lowered by 1.4 percent, or a reduction of $1.23 per month for the average customer using 1,050 kilowatt-hours of electricity (to $82.25 per month). Other non-residential customer classes would see rates decline from about 1 percent to 3 percent.

In 2005, electric rates were lowered twice for a combined total of about 4 percent. However, electric charges were increased by an average of 5.8 percent in May of this year. When the three decreases are combined with the May increase, overall electric rates will have stayed relatively stable since the fall of 2004.

Lower Bonneville Power Administration electricity costs are driving the most recent decrease.

Commissioners have a policy of passing on to customers any increase or decrease in power costs whenever the BPA adjusts the price of wholesale power the federal agency sells to public utilities. EWEB gets about 70 percent of its electricity from Bonneville, so any cost adjustments by BPA have a direct impact on customers. In recent years, Bonneville has adjusted its rates every six months.