Utilities could get more expensive for Powell residents pending the passage of three ordinance changes.

The Powell City Council passed three ordinances through first reading Monday to increase electricity, water and sewer rates.

The city’s preliminary budget for the coming fiscal year is based on having rate increases, but none of the rate increases take effect until the proposed increases pass through three readings.

“The cost of business isn’t getting cheap for our system,” Councilman Josh Shorb said.

The proposed rate increases were based on recommendations from consultant Carl Brown, said Powell Public Works Director Gary Butts.

Electric rates

Ordinance No. 14 is for meter base charges and includes the following rates:

• Residential base charge: $27

• Residential energy charges: 10.6 cents per kilowatt hour

• Commercial base charge: $33.75

• Commercial energy charge: 11.5 cents per kilowatt hour

“If you put it off, you get to the point to where you are forced to do it,” Mayor Don Hillman said.

The proposed residential base charge is above average when compared to other municipal-owned utilities, according to the Wyoming Public Service Commission. Statistics from the commission show Basin is the only other town with a base residential charge of $27; the average is $13.91.

Basin ties with Fort Laramie for highest total monthly bill average at $120, and for average cost per kilowatt hour at exactly 16 cents. 

On the low end of the spectrum for municipal-owned utilities, residents in Lusk pay $5.45 as a minimum fee with an average kilowatt per hour fee at just under 7 cents.

Investor-owned electricity providers are private companies that provide electricity. In Wyoming, this type of electricity provider has an average base fee of $18.38 and an average cost per kilowatt hour at just over 12.3 cents.

Statewide, the average base fee is $18.50 with an average cost per kilowatt hour at just over 12 cents.

Water and sewer rates

Ordinance No. 17 and No. 18 propose a 4 percent rate increase for local water rates, Butts said.

Previous city councils “kicked this down the road,” and the council had to deal with it last year with a 40 percent increase, Shorb said.

“I think we need to do this, (but) I hate to do this,” Shorb said.

 Most residential homes have a 0.625-inch or 0.75-inch water connection and would be charged a base fee of $32.78 per month. After that, there’s a commodity charge of $2.90 for every 1,000 gallons of water used.

As for sewer rates, Ordinance No. 18 calls for a minimum fee of $14.24 for typical residential connections.

The following are the other minimum charges, based on connection sizes for water, followed by their sewer fees:

• 1 inch: $46.12 — $15.92

• 1.5 inch: $72.97 — $19.38

• 2 inches: $112.62 — $24.20

• 3 inches: $230.38 — $37.99

• 4 inches: $388.99 — $57.30

• 5 inches: $596.27 — $82.13

• 6 inches: $860.02 — $112.48

• 7 inches: $1,149.02 — $148.35

• 8 inches: $1,515.29 — $189.73

“Nobody likes rate increases — the one imposing it, or the one paying it,” Hillman said. “You have to cover the expenses.”