Royal City residents may get a jolt when they get their electrical bills in the near future.
New Westminster will be increasing its electrical rates by nine per cent effective April 1.
Coun. Betty McIntosh said nine per cent is “quite hurtful” to many citizens.
“I think we could reduce the nine per cent and have a bit of relief for our own customers,” she said.
A staff report states that the city’s practice has been to implement the same annual electricity rate increase that B.C. Hydro charges the city to purchase electricity.
Despite that practice, McIntosh felt the city has an ability to pass on a slightly lower amount.
Council supported the nine per cent increase to the electricity rate. McIntosh was the only councillor to vote against the staff recommendation.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr expressed concern that the provincial government’s policy to allow independent power plants has left taxpayers on the hook for a billion dollars a year in costs.
“We can’t absorb this,” he said. “The public has to know there has been a piracy of our electrical utility.”
Puchmayr said provincial policy, not B.C. Hydro, is to blame for the high electricity rates.
According to the staff report, New Westminster will continue to have among the lowest rates in North America, even with the proposed rates.
“The effect of the rate revisions on individual customers will vary significantly, depending on the amount of electricity consumed,” stated the report. “However, a household using 1,000 kWh (kilowatt hour) per month will now pay $100.29 per month, an increase of $8.28 per month.”
