The Bonneville Power Administration Rate Change and Your EWEB Bill
As your community-owned, not-for-profit utility, EWEB is committed to providing reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible power and water—and to being transparent about the factors that influence your rates.
One of the most significant factors is the cost of wholesale electricity. Most of Eugene’s electricity comes from low-cost, carbon-free hydroelectric power, primarily from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a nonprofit federal agency that provides wholesale energy and transmission services to utilities in the Northwest. Buying that power is EWEB’s largest budget item, accounting for nearly 40 cents of every dollar collected from electric customers.
How we set rates
In late 2024, as part of our normal budget process, we announced a two-part electricity rate adjustment for 2025:
- February 2025 - A 7.7% increase to residential electric rates to support EWEB’s operational needs and capital investments.
- October 2025 - A separate BPA pass-through adjustment, originally projected at 4%, to reflect BPA’s updated wholesale rates.
We chose to separate these changes rather than bundle them together. This approach provides clarity about what drives rate changes and eases the impact on customers by phasing them in.
Good News: Lower-than-expected BPA adjustment
BPA’s October rate increase is smaller than projected—2.7% rather than the anticipated 4%. For the average household using 1,600 kWh per month, this equates to roughly $6 per month or 20¢ per day. (Learn about BPA rate changes for business customers).
BPA sets its rates to recover costs for generating and conserving power and for operating its 15,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines across nine states. BPA emphasized that these rates were designed with a focus on reliability, affordability, and long-term system maintenance.
A strategic, cost-effective choice
This lower adjustment reflects BPA’s updated pricing and EWEB’s strategic energy decisions. We’re replacing power once generated by the retired Leaburg hydro plant with more carbon-free, lower-cost BPA power — a move that supports long-term affordability and stable rates for our community.
Looking ahead to 2026
We will review a separate EWEB rate change for 2026 during our regular annual budget process. Because we’re covering part of BPA’s costs in October 2025, we expect to ease some of the upward pressure on 2026 rates. This proactive step also aligns with our cost-of-service model, ensuring rates remain fair and based on the actual cost of providing service.
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The BPA power cost adjustment was presented to EWEB's elected board of commissioners at the September 2025 public meeting. Read the board meeting backgrounder.
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Budget and Rate Information
As a customer-owned utility, we do not operate to earn a profit. Prices are based on the costs to serve our community with safe, reliable water and electricity.
Our power supply
Learn more about where your electricity comes from.
