Eugene Water and Electric Board customers will see their monthly bills increase in the new year. The utility announced that starting in February, electricity rates will increase by 7.7% and water rates by 6.6%.

EWEB officials said that since 2016, rate increases for Eugene Springfield-area customers have lagged behind high inflation in the electric and water sectors. The planned rate adjustments are intended to close a 20% gap in the $489.6 million budget.

Jen Connors, EWEB communications supervisor, said that while the main drivers of price changes are infrastructure investments and rising operating costs due to inflation, ultimately customers really want to know how their monthly expenses will evolve.

“So, based on average usage, the total residential rate increase for electricity and water in 2025 will be less than a dollar per day,” Connors said.

Connors continued to explain how the EWEB sets rates. “This is a multi-step process called a “revenue requirement” that is determined by the amount the utility must collect from customers in order to cover costs associated with operating the utility. next year.”

This requirement affects vital funding for infrastructure projects, including the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project upgrade and the removal of the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project, according to EWEB officials.

Connors said EWEB’s electricity rates will increase again in October when the Bonneville Power Administration notifies the utility of how much costs will increase. The EWEB predicts that this price increase will be around 4%.

EWEB offers a number of programs to help customers improve their energy and water efficiency to reduce their bills throughout the year. The utility’s customer service program offers bill credits of $280 per year to income-eligible households. Connors said EWEB would increase funding for the program from $275,000 to $1.6 million for the 2025 budget year.

More information on the EWEB 2025 budget and rate changes can be found here.