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Chelan County utility commissioners agree not to raise rates in 2018 budget

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Chelan County utility commissioners agree not to raise rates in 2018 budget

The Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 commissioners approved a 2018 budget that will not result in an increase in retail electric rates.

But the utility intends to evaluate in the coming years how they can sustain this without creating a risk of large rate increases in the future, according to a Dec. 4 news release. Chelan County PUD electric rates have risen by 9% since 2000, despite the consumer price index increasing by 39%.

The 2018 budget will continue Chelan PUD's strategy of investing for long-term value, with a particular focus on hydroelectric assets and the grid to meet load growth. The utility is in the process of accomplishing roughly double the amount of refurbishing work at its hydro projects than what it would do in a normal five-year period.

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence data, the utility has a conventional hydro capacity of 1,988.20 MW.

Under the budget, expenditures will be up 7% year over year to $366 million. Chelan PUD expects a positive bottom line of nearly $72 million at the end of 2018, which is lower than the $85 million forecast in the 2017 budget.