LA Board Considers Electricity Rate Hike, To Be Spread Over 5 Years

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The average single-family household could see their electricity bill go up a total of $12 over five years under a rate hike proposal being considered by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

The electricity rate increases, which will be spread out over five years, has the backing of Mayor Eric Garcetti and was deemed "just and reasonable" by Ratepayer Advocate Fred Pickel, who was appointed to watch over rate increases at the Department of Water and Power on behalf of customers.

If Water and Power commissioners sign off on the rate hikes, the proposal will be sent -- along with proposed water rate hikes that were approved by the board last year -- to the City Council and the mayor for consideration.

A typical single-family household that uses 500 kilowatt-hours per month -- putting it in "zone 1" -- could see a $12 monthly bill increase after five years, according to a report from the Office of Public Accountability.

Monthly bills for such households would rise from the $76-$78 range to between $80 and $82 after one year, eventually going up to about $90 per month after five years, according to the report.

The rate hikes would mean that DWP power revenue would eventually grow to $4.22 billion in fiscal year 2019-20, up from $3.45 billion in fiscal year 2014-15, according to the OPA's report.

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