Dec 29, 2023, 12:29 PM | Updated: Jan 2, 2024, 12:51 pm
Seattle City Light says customers should expect to see a 10% increase in their bills. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Seattle City Light says customers will be getting an unwanted surprise in their electric bills come January.
The utility announced a nearly 10% rate increase for all customers beginning January 1, 2024.
“We know rate increases are never good news,” Seattle City Light CFO Kirsty Grainger told KIRO 7.
The increase includes:
The average residential customer will see an increase of about $9 per month ($18 per bimonthly billing cycle). Customers enrolled in the Utility Discount Program (UDP) will see an estimated $4 monthly increase on average. The BPA passthrough and RSA surcharge are an estimated $4 monthly increase on average.
Seattle City Light: A warning customers about scammers
“Having to buy power, that’s kind of a scary thought — that it’s not able — we’re not able to produce it because our environment is not working the same way it used to,” SCL customer Julia Montee said.
Seattle City Light says it does have help available like flexible payment plans and bill assistance programs for those who qualify.
“Nine dollars seems like pretty significant. Just like considering that’s like a pretty large hike and then think about like in a year what that would add up to,” Montee said. “I’m lucky that I’m in a position to be able to pay that but I definitely think about other people where your money has to stretch like so far.”
Pilot program: Seattle City Light adding EV charging stations as pilot program
Grainger said they did everything they could to avoid this, including making two $30 million deposits into the emergency fund, but it still wasn’t enough.
“At this point, we’re at the financial situation where this is what we have to do to refill the RSA,” Grainger said.
Seven men were arrested in a Seattle Police Department (SPD) prostitution bust on Aurora Ave. N.
1 hour ago
A pregnant woman was seriously injured, and a motorcyclist was killed in a collision in Bremerton Wednesday night, according to Bremerton police.
2 hours ago
A Bellevue shoplifting investigation that began over a tube of ChapStick escalated into an arrest involving a firearm and an explosive device.
2 hours ago
Metro Animal Shelter is now caring for 44 cats that were taken from an apartment in Sumner after their owner died — and they need your help.
2 hours ago
Seattle crews are clearing a homeless encampment after a recent shooting and years of safety complaints.
3 hours ago
Starbucks is reportedly exploring a deal to acquire Chipotle Mexican Grill, a potential combination of two of the largest restaurant businesses in the U.S.
4 hours ago
Meier and the co-authors conducted a 10-year trial measuring outcomes of over 300 patients treated with CyberKnife across 21 centers.
In a world of crowded grocery aisles and endless labels, one designation cuts through the noise with a guarantee you can trust: USDA Organic.
As temperatures climb across the Seattle area, many homeowners are discovering that their air conditioner is running but not cooling the home effectively.
The scammers share a playbook: Arrive uninvited, claim to see damage, start work before the homeowner has time to think. If you are a homeowner in the Puget Sound area, these seven steps can protect you from being a victim in the next scam.
One in eight men will hear the words "you have prostate cancer" in their lifetime. Unfortunately, many men tend to overlook the importance of preventative care.
Award-winning Aegis Living Queen Anne Rodgers Park offers assisted living and memory care with a vibrant, Seattle-rooted lifestyle.
