Lewis County PUD strives to maintain the lowest rates possible while maintaining safe and reliable power. A key part of that process is deciding what the rates are and how they are structured. The board of commissioners and staff review budgets, sales forecasts, and wholesale energy rates on a frequent basis in order to maintain stability and equity when setting rates.

What costs are included in the rates?

PUD costs can be broken down into 3 major buckets.

  1. Demand – Demand costs are largely comprised of the cost of the transmission between generators and customers (aka – The Grid).
  2. Energy – Energy is by far the largest classification when looking at where the money goes. It includes all of the wholesale power that is bought and sold by the PUD. Most of that energy comes from Bonneville (BPA) in the form of “block and slice.”
  3. Fixed – This classification includes all of the fixed assets we see throughout our community. It includes poles, wires, transformers, utility vehicles, office buildings, and the staff needed to maintain the system.

How are rates designed?

Periodically the PUD conducts a Cost Of Service Analysis (COSA) either in-house or by an independent 3rd party consultant. The  COSA analyzes each individual customer class, the PUD’s revenue requirement (amount needed to pay the bills), and all of the cost inputs for the utility. Once all of the costs and revenues have been analyzed, additional considerations are taken into account and rate design options are discussed and recommended.

Can I be included in the rate-setting process?

Yes. Rate hearings are open to the public and posted in local media. The commissioners and staff welcome public comment at both rate hearings and general commission meetings. Please refer to the Meetings and Events Page section of this site for an up-to-date list of PUD meetings.

 

Who sets the rates?

Final rates are set by the publicly elected board of commissioners. Rates are set by resolution upon completion of publicly held hearings where the commissioners gather input from staff, third-party consultants, and most importantly the public. To learn more about the PUD commissioners, Visit Meet the Commissioners Page.

2023 Rates

2022 Rate Proceeding

2021 Rate Proceeding

2020 Rate Proceeding