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Tillamook PUD tells Nehalem council it plans a 7% rate increase amid BPA cost pressures
Summary
Todd Simmons, general manager of Tillamook PUD, told the Nehalem City Council the utility is proposing a 7% rate hike in May citing projected BPA increases (10.6% power, 22% transmission); he described customer-assistance measures and said the increase reflects efforts to balance affordability and reliability.
Todd Simmons, general manager of Tillamook PUD, presented a proposed 7% customer-rate increase to the Nehalem City Council on Feb. 10, citing rising regional power and transmission costs.
Simmons said Tillamook PUD is a preference customer of the Bonneville Power Administration and serves about 23,000 customers across roughly 1,125 square miles. He told the council that BPA is considering a 10.6% increase in power costs and a 22% rise in transmission costs; those pressures led the PUD to propose a 7% increase to take effect in May. Simmons said the 7% proposal is the largest he has requested during his nine years with the PUD and reflected efforts to limit increases over the next three years.
Simmons outlined customer-assistance programs the PUD offers and urged the council to consider emergency-preparedness implications of regional power deficits. Council members asked for details about contingency planning and assistance for customers who may struggle with higher bills; Simmons described the PUD’s efforts to help those customers and said the utility has tried to keep the increase as low as practical.
Mayor Phil Chick thanked PUD employees for their work. The presentation did not include a city action item or vote; it was provided for information and council questions.
