Okanogan Electric Coop 8% Rate Increase

[pasayten]

I made the rate calculator to see how the new rates will affect your bill and also to compare to other utilities and coop rates in the PNW...

https://methow.chewack.com/getmybill2024.php

[PAL]

If we have that long.

[mister_coffee]

Can we also please be real? Electrifying power tools like leaf blowers and mowers is going to add noise to electricity demand, especially compared to residential heating and transportation. And we aren't literally flipping a switch and doing this by Monday. The transition we are talking about will take decades and likely the rest of our lives.

[mister_coffee]

Maybe folks ought to get their facts straight before charging out of the outhouse with both guns blazing and their pants around their ankles...

Nobody from Ecology is going to come and arrest you for having fossil-powered tools. All the new laws are saying is that you can't purchase gas-burning tools in Washington State after 2025. So you have plenty of warning to stock up on a fleet of polluting lawnmowers if that is your kink. Also, nobody is stopping you from repairing and making new parts for your old chainsaw as long as you can manage that. And you'll be able to buy used ones off of craigslist to cannibalize for parts.

I don't understand how people became such a bunch of whiners and crybabies.

You can't make a fully robotic mower like this that burns dinosaurs:

https://www.greenworkstools.com/product ... XIQAvD_BwE

[pasayten]

I think the Washington State laws concerning electricity, heating, and fuels are overreaching and ridiculous...

[Jingles]

Electric cars will add to the load... Washington's law to not allow gas heat in new construction adds to the load... Washington's plan to ban small gas powered equipment adds to the load...

Do you seriously think because some a hole in Olympia says a person can't use a gas powered lawn mower people will actually quit using them, or gas powered generators when the power goes out for an extended period of time and everything in their freezer could thaw?
Those in Olympia can KMA and if you agree withe the idiots you can Kiss it too
But I suppose we'll have the same snitches calling and reporting their neighbors like we did when the Fauci flu was making spme get their panties in a wad because someone wasn't wearing a mask

[mister_coffee]

On the other side of it, we are at least in a good position to scale up generating capacity here in the longer term.

In the longer term, if we don't electrify we are making it more likely that the glaciers we depend upon for continuous hydropower won't be there, which means much less electricity being available. So we kind of need to choose our poison.

[pasayten]

Electric cars will add to the load... Washington's law to not allow gas heat in new construction adds to the load... Washington's plan to ban small gas powered equipment adds to the load...

[PAL]

So more electricity is being used, hence the rate increase? We've been trying to cut our use with alternative and that's all fine and good for those of us that can afford the initial set ups, but for those that are already struggling, this could be a hardship.
Wehn you say electrifying everything. Like what?

[pasayten]

Note: This is after our 5% increase in April 2023... Our service area growth and electricity usage has caused us to have to buy more "Tier 2" power that is more expensive than our allocated BPA Tier 1 hydroelectric power... Electrify "everything" will only put more stress on this...

OCEC February Newsletter

RATE INCREASE MARCH 2024
With the recently approved 2024 budget by the OCEC Board, members will see a rate increase beginning in March 2024. The increase will be approximately 8% for all rate classifications and will show up on the April 2024billing statements. The primary driver for the rate increase is a large increase in the cost of wholesale power and transmission the cooperative purchases from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). In comparison to the 2023 budget, 2024 is forecasted to have an increase in wholesale power costs of nearly 25%. Wholesale power and transmission purchases from BPA account for roughly half of all of OCEC’s expenses. OCEC always strives to find the balance of remaining a financially strong member-owned cooperative while providing reasonable rates to provide a high-level of reliable and Member-focused service.

How will the rate increase affect my monthly bill?

Below are two examples of the rate increase on two average residential accounts:
Example A (Rate 1)
Full Time Resident, General Service Rate 1
Average usage of under 1,200 kwh per month, maximum of 14,400 kwh per year.

Example B (Rate 2)
Full Time Resident, General Service Rate 2
1,201 to 5,000 average monthly kwh usage, maximum of 60,000 kwh per year.

Estimated Monthly Increase
Example A - $7.33/mo
Example B - $21.98/mo
To compare your current billing rate with the new rates, go to www.ocec.coop and use the Rate Calculator under Member Services on the homepage.