Liberty may raise rates more than 17%
Liberty Utilities customers may find their bills going up 17.34 percent starting Jan. 1.
The electric company that serves the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin, Truckee, Alpine County and other areas of the state has filed for a rate increase with the California Public Utilities Commission.
Liberty wants to increase its revenue by $13.571 million to recover costs associated with the distribution of power to its 49,000 customers.
“The increase is necessary to continue Liberty’s focus on delivering safe and reliable electric service to its customers. Components of the increase include vegetation management (trimming trees and branches from infrastructure that may cause outages), compliance with California’s requirements related to drought-related fire prevention along utility power lines, additional funding for the existing energy efficiency programs/incentives and funding to implement a new solar incentive program, as well as maintenance and upgrades to the existing electrical system,” Liberty said in a statement.
The last general rate case increase was 4.97 percent, which took effect Jan. 1, 2013.
The CPUC filing is online.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
The afterthought at the end….”as well as maintenance and upgrades to the existing electrical system” must be where the majority of money from this OUTRAGEOUS rate increase will be spent.
The “625/650 Electric Lines Upgrade Project” which will take at least 6 years and, “The project would upgrade these major power lines to improve reliability to Liberty’s (North Tahoe customers.”)
Glad those of us in SLT that won’t benefit from the power line upgrade will at least get our trees trimmed. I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about helping those on the north side of the lake with their over-development…..NOT!
Are the North-shore developers paying for any of the up-grades?
Thats what the environutz want. If they cant brainwash you through media and name calling, they will get you in the wallet. Bravo!
@sunriser2, Not bloody likely, but there are people that know a lot more about the power upgrade than I do that I hope will stop by and post what they know. Here’s a link to more information; http://www.libertyutilities.com/west/about/news_04-27-2015.html
And in that link is another link to the utilities website that describes the 625/650 project better.
It’s almost in passing that they mention the need for the upgrade being due to higher demand. The higher demand in my opinion is from all the new development and proposed new development between Truckee and North Tahoe.
I’m just not happy about paying for THEIR growth with little to no benefit from a 17% increase living on the south shore.
Business owner, this is the second thread today you called someone out for name calling that hasn’t called any one names. And yet in your above comment YOU name call.
What up with that?
Both “environutz” and concerned citizens have been trying to warn people for years. The Calpeco “625/650 Electric Lines Upgrade Project” IS about supporting growth outside of the Basin. https://www.laketahoenews.net/2013/03/letter-liberty-ratepayers-will-be-unfairly-charged/
In fact, TRPA just approved the 625/650 project last month and in that meeting, it was made clear the demand came from outside of the Basin.
But Liberty has spent a lot of money on media ads and flyers that come with our bills to convince us we need this project.
For those who like to bash anyone who stands up to stuff like this, please just do your homework. The public has been paying for many, many projects around Tahoe that are benefiting corporations and big developers. Look for the facts, not the media hype (and the media hype will come from those who can afford it = the corporations who want these projects).
And FYI: this increase isn’t paying for the 625/650 Line Project yet – that will come in the future as another rate increase to recover the costs they will have spent on the 625/650 project. 17% now is nothing compared to what’s coming. 49,000 customers to pay for a $50 million project? Not good for Liberty customers, not at all.
@J&B, Exactly the letter I remember reading back then. Thanks for the link.
Sorry biggerpicture…darn autocorrect
I guess this increase pretty much defines who the TRPA represents-the 49K regular taxpaying citizens or the corp ‘developers’-bend over for the unregulated ‘free’ market at it’s best
Watch, the CPUC will okay less of an increase. Say more like 10%. And Liberty will act like they’re suffering by having to make to due with not getting all they wanted.
Yet, bet you that’s the plan all along. Ask for more than what you’re really looking for. And then whatever the ‘compromise’ is really a 100% of what Liberty was shooting for.
Heavenly/Vail does that regularly with their expansion plans that they put in front of the TRPA.
Now that Sue Novasel can’t work on the Meyers plan maybe she can concentrate on this issue.
A 17% increase to their customers by Liberty Utilites?
Seems a bit steep to me.
Granted, I did take advantange of their energy conservation program called Projct Go(1-800-655-7705) which insulated underneath my house, installed storm windows in every room in the house, wrapped pipes, wrapped the water heater in a blanket, installed low flow water heads in the showers and sink and put in cfl lights around the house.
They will even provide you with more energy efficient appliances, refrigerator, a stove or a new furnace to heat your house if your income is at or below a certain level It’s well worth looking into. It’s all done with NO extra cost to you.
Your house will be warmer due to the insulation, quieter and less drafty because of the storm windows.
My cost for these materials and labor? 4 dollars and 52 cents a month, which is sommething Liberty puts on ALL our Liberty Utility bills that pays for the cost of conserving energy and thereby reducing your energy bills.
Do we need new power lines? Debateable. OLS
Our rates “MAY” increase? Seriously? That sounds a lot like BS dribble that REALLY means they WILL increase. Oh, and I’m sure your costs can justify that a 17.34% is really needed vs. the 4.97% just two years ago. You must think we are as stupid as our government thinks we are. I can’t wait to read about what raises you vote yourselves after the ripping off of the public you do.
Biggerpicture, it is BO’S weapon of mass distraction, always pointing fingers and blaming others for his own problems, the problems of tahoe, the state of calif., the federal guvmnt, obama, the world. He gets his jollies out of being an A h@/€.
And before you ask BO, I would never take a cookie from you.
nature: Just ONCE it would be refreshing to see some other content in your blogs than “pointing fingers”. You have quite the limited vocabulary.
There you go again kits. You and your ilk make it too easy. Its what you do. Is that refreshing enough?