During the November 28th board meeting the Lassen MUD, Board of Directors approved a half-cent increase to the District’s kilowatt-hour charge. The increase will be effective with the January 10th billing cycle, bringing the charge to 19.5 cents per kWh. Customers will see an increase on the January bill, which encompasses December usage.
The increase was based on the District’s Power Delivery Cost Analysis spreadsheet, which indicated that LMUD is under-collecting by nearly a half-cent per kilowatt hour. The PDCA is a tool used by LMUD to analyze the cost associated with running the District. It takes into account expenses and revenue and uses that information to determine whether rates are sufficient to keep the District financially stable. If the indication shows under collection, the District's policy allows the Board to increase rates by no more than a half-cent per quarter. Increases are voted on by the Board and must receive a majority vote to pass. The November 28th increase was approved by a unanimous vote.
Typically, LMUD’s average customer uses about 800 to 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month. A half-cent increase can mean about four to six dollars more per month for the average customer. However, usage can be higher during the holidays and winter months, which means a rate increase may have a greater effect during times of high usage. For tips on decreasing energy use visit www.energystar.gov. Or call LMUD’s energy experts at 530-257-4174.
If you are experiencing a higher-than-normal bill, please reach out to our customer service department, we may be able to assist you with payment arrangements, or financial aid, depending on your circumstances.