Power Cost Surcharge Starts This Month
Many families and businesses across the Hood River Valley are feeling the pinch of rising costs, and no one wants to see their electric bill go up. As your local, member-owned co-op, we understand that. Keeping your power reliable and affordable is our most important responsibility.
With that in mind, I’m writing to tell you about a new line item on your bill. Beginning with your August 6 statement, you’ll see a 2% power cost surcharge on the energy you use. For a typical home using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month, that adds about $1.56. For a home using 500 kWh, the increase is roughly $0.78. The surcharge will remain in place through the end of 2026.
This is our second rate change this year, and it was not a decision we made lightly. It is our job to manage the costs we can control before we ever ask you to pay more. Our wholesale power bill is one we have less control over, and it continues to rise. Our spring rate change was designed to cover the wholesale increases enacted last fall. What we did not expect was how much an unusually warm start to the year would reduce our revenue. The mild winter and spring meant members needed less heat. Because we recover part of our operating costs through energy sales, that drop in use left us short.
So, we went to work. We reviewed our spending line by line and cut costs wherever we responsibly could, deferring headquarters maintenance projects, scaling back employee training and travel, and eliminating other nonessential expenses. Those steps helped, but they were not enough. After weighing the remaining options, we concluded a small, temporary surcharge is the responsible way to protect your co-op’s financial stability.
It may help to know where you stand. Even with this surcharge, Hood River Electric & Internet Co-op members pay about 35% less per kWh than the Oregon state average. As a not-for-profit co-op, we are owned and governed by the people we serve. We answer to you, not to outside shareholders, and every dollar goes back into the reliable power and high-speed internet our communities count on.
Keeping your rates among the lowest in the state is a responsibility we carry every day, and this surcharge does not change that commitment. We will keep looking for ways to control costs. If you have questions about your bill, call us at (541) 354-1233 or email Hood River. If you would like help managing your energy use, we encourage you to request a free home energy audit from our energy-efficiency provider, Efficiency Services Group. Call (888) 883-9879 or email Rebates.
Thank you for being a member and owner of your co-op.
Sincerely,
Libby Calnon
General Manager & CEO