Lewis County PUDNews
October 12, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lewis PUD Commission supports House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964
(Chehalis, WA) September 27, 2011 The Lewis PUD Commissioners passed a resolution of
support at their regularly scheduled Commission meeting on September 6th for two legislative
bills introduced at the end of the 2011 Washington State Legislative session.
House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964 were introduced to revise the Energy Independence Act
(EIA) by clarifying that if a utility has excess energy under current contracts, then the utility has
the option to choose not to buy unneeded energy or renewable energy credits as required by
the EIA. As a utility grows and needs to add energy to meet growing customer needs, the new
resources must meet the EIA requirements.
The EIA was the result of Initiative 937 approved by voters in 2006 with the intent to increase
energy conservation and renewable energy resources. It requires an electric utility with 25,000
or more customers to use eligible renewable resources to meet a portion of its load (3% in 2012,
9% in 2016, and 15% in 2020) and to acquire all cost effective conservation starting in 2010.
Initiative 937 failed in Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry,
Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Kittitas, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pend
Oreille, Skagit, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima counties.
The unintended consequence of the EIA is utilities are required to purchase additional
renewable power (or equivalent renewable energy credits) even if additional power is not
needed to serve customers - in many cases displacing clean, renewable hydropower and
disincentivising energy conservation. This additional excess renewable energy has already
resulted in an increased cost to Lewis PUD contributing to a retail rate increase of 8% on
September 1 to Lewis County citizens.
For more information contact:
Dave Muller
Manager
(360) 748-9261
September 30, 2011
Fishing Rule Change
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Internet Address: wdfw.wa.gov
Daily limit of trout increased on Scanewa Lake
Action: Increase trout daily limit to 10 in Scanewa Lake
Effective dates: Oct. 1, 2011 until further notice
Species affected: Trout
Location: Scanewa Lake (Cowlitz Falls Reservoir)
Reasons for action: Increase bag limit on stocked rainbow trout to encourage late season fishing effort to increase the overall harvest rate.
Other information: Rainbow trout (with clipped adipose fins) are stocked annually in Lake Scanewa as part of Lewis County PUD’s federal license to operate Cowlitz Falls Dam. Many of these fish remain available for harvest, and these regulations increase the opportunity for the angling public to harvest these fish this fall. The increased daily catch limit is intended to increase participation in this fishery and allow increased harvest of these fish.
An 8-inch minimum size limit remains in effect. In addition, anglers must release all cutthroat, and release rainbow trout except those having a clipped adipose fin and a healed scar at the location of the adipose clipped fin.
Information contact: Wolf Dammers (360) 696-6211
Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license, appropriate to the fishery. Check the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for details on fishing seasons and regulations. Fishing rules are subject to change. Check the WDFW Fishing hotline for the latest rule information at (360) 902-2500, press 2 for recreational rules. For the Shellfish Rule Change hotline call (360)796-3215 or toll free 1-866-880-5431.
LEWIS PUD INCREASES RATE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2010
On December 21, 2009, the Board of Commissioners of Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis County approved an overall average retail rate increase of 9.4% for all power use beginning January 1, 2010. The cause for the increase is a 7.5% wholesale power cost increase from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) that was effective on October 1, 2009, and the cost of compliance with Initiative 937.
Lewis County PUD purchases approximately 98% of its power from the BPA which represents about 70% of Lewis PUDs costs; with the economic downturn, the District has more than enough supply from BPA to serve its load. Initiative 937 (approved by the voters, November 2006) requires Lewis County PUD to acquire cost effective conservation and qualifying renewable energy to serve a portion of the PUD’s energy needs (hydroelectric is not considered a qualifying renewable resource under I-937). Because I-937 requires Lewis County PUD to acquire qualifying renewable power regardless of whether the District needs additional power or not, the District has purchased wind power at about 8 to 9 cents per kwh and backed off low cost BPA hydro power at about 3 cents per kwh, while also adding additional programs and measures to expand its conservation program. The BPA rate increase and the I-937 compliance costs have added approximately $4 million to the PUDs annual costs for 2010.
Lewis PUD has not increased rates since 2004, and actually reduced rates 4% in October, 2006. Even with this rate increase, Lewis PUD’s retail rates remain among the lowest in western Washington and the Northwest. Lewis’ residential rates will remain approximately 20% lower than Centralia City Light and ½ of Puget Sound Energy rates in Thurston County. Attached are utility comparisons of residential and commercial/industrial rates for western Washington utilities.
Links to rate comparisons:
Residential
Commercial/Industrial
BPA ANNOUNCES RATE INCREASE
July 27, 2009
The Bonneville Power Administration announced a 7 percent wholesale power increase to its public agency customers on July 21, 2009. The new rates apply to power sales to public utilities throughout the northwest including Lewis County PUD. The new rates become effective October 1, 2009 and will be in effect for two years.
The primary causes of BPA’s rising costs are actions to improve safety and reliability of the Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant and actions to protect threatened and endangered salmon. BPA does not own or operate the nuclear plant, located in Hanford, Wash., but markets the power produced by the plant. The power rate increase is down from the initial proposal of 9.4% in February, and it is considerably lower than the potential 15 to 20 percent increase that looked likely in early April.
The BPA rate increase will result in an increase in Lewis County PUD’s retail rates, as BPA power costs represent approximately 66% of Lewis County PUDs costs. In addition Lewis County PUD is facing increased costs from Initiative 937, approved by the voters November 2006, which requires utilities like Lewis County PUD to obtain conservation and higher cost renewable resources, whether there is a need for these resources or not. Lewis County PUD is currently conducting a cost of service analysis which will incorporate the new BPA power costs, I-937 costs, and local PUD system costs. Lewis County PUD Commissioners are expected to make a decision on the size of the retail increase sometime in September. Lewis County PUDs last retail rate adjustment was a 4% decrease on October 1, 2006.
Even with a rate increase this fall, Lewis County PUDs residential rates will remain lower than other western Washington public utilities and the states investor owned utilities. Attached is a table comparing Lewis County PUDs current residential rate with other Washington utilities.
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