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Glendale staff introduces plan to delay and redistribute planned electric rate increases; public warns of steep bills
Summary
Glendale Water & Power staff introduced an ordinance to defer and redistribute previously approved electric rate increases so larger increases are spread across three Nov. 1 effective dates (2025–2027). Council set the ordinance for adoption Oct. 7; staff said no action now would revert to the higher schedule previously approved in November 2023.
Glendale Water & Power (GWP) staff on Sept. 30 presented an ordinance for introduction that would delay and redistribute scheduled electric rate increases approved in the 2023 cost‑of‑service analysis. The proposal would move larger increases to Nov. 1 of 2025, 2026 and 2027 and smooth the near‑term hit to customers.
Assistant General Manager Arjun Nesayan and General Manager Scott Mellon briefed council and answered detailed questions about meter estimates, billing accuracy and the utility’s capital program. The council did not adopt the ordinance that evening; staff said it will return Oct. 7 for final adoption. If council takes no action, the previously approved increases (from the Nov. 2023 cost‑of‑service analysis) would take effect as scheduled beginning Nov. 1.
Key technical points: Staff described the redistribution plan (cumulative system average rate increases are unchanged from the COSA adopted in November 2023) but explained the timing shift reduces the immediate increase for November 2025 and spreads the remainder across two subsequent Nov. 1 effective dates. The 2023 COSA had set a sequence of tiered adjustments; the redistribution plan keeps the same cumulative revenue target but alters the phasing.
Public reaction and council questions: Multiple residents told council recent bills feel much higher than the published average increases. Speakers asked whether billing estimates and meter issues might have caused unusually high customer bills and requested stronger quality assurance and replacement of faulty meters. GWP staff said the utility is actively replacing non‑communicating meters and that when estimates are corrected, the utility issues reimbursements or adjustments on customers’ accounts; staff also noted municipal utilities’ rate structures vary and that Glendale’s share of system costs currently places more of the burden on residential customers than some neighboring municipal utilities.
Why it matters: The adjustment changes timing rather than the total revenue target in the adopted COSA, so customers will still see higher bills over the multi‑year period but may avoid a larger immediate spike. Council members asked for clear communications and more information for residents who report outsized increases, and some asked staff to pursue longer‑term rate‑structure changes such as examining the city’s tiered rate approach.
Next steps: Council will consider adoption of the ordinance on Oct. 7. Staff also said they will continue meter replacements, review individual high‑bill complaints and provide more detailed outreach on how the phased increases affect different customer classes.
Ending: Councilmembers said they wanted written, customer‑facing explanations and specific data on meter corrections, and several asked staff to return with options for a broader review of the residential tiered structure at a future meeting.
