Council adopts power-rate adjustments after updated cost-of-service study

Monroe City Council on July 14 adopted Resolution 7 01 2026 to amend the City’s Power Policy and adjust electric rates after a presentation from Utility Financial Solutions. The move implements a rebalance among customer classes intended to keep annual revenue increases near previously approved levels while aligning charges with actual cost to serve.

Jillian Jurczyk, rates manager with Utility Financial Solutions, summarized the changes presented via remote video conference: “For residential customers, she proposed increasing the monthly base rate by $1.50 (from $11.75 to $13.25) and a modest increase to the energy rate from 11.9 cents to 12 cents per kWh,” preserving approximately a 2.5% revenue increase overall. The study also proposed raising the residential discount-class base by $1.00; increasing the small commercial non-demand monthly charge by $2.50; and targeting a 3.5% overall increase for agricultural customers by raising the monthly base from $21.75 to $28.25.

Councilmember Perry Payne moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Ryan Johnson seconded. A roll call vote recorded unanimous support from Councilmembers Bagley, Barney, Johnson and Payne. The resolution’s intent, as described in the presentation, is to shift more fixed-cost recovery to base charges for classes that had been under-recovering while slightly reducing per-kWh charges for some farm customers.

The Council received the study and authorized the policy amendment at the meeting; staff were not asked to return with additional alternatives. The action does not itself change the billing dates or immediate billing process but adjusts the rates that staff will apply in upcoming utility bills.