Water, Electric Rates May Change in Cody

Cody residents may soon be paying a little more for electric and water – but potentially a little less for garbage services.

The Cody City Council tonight will hear the first reading of two ordinances – one to modify electric rates, and another to modify water rates.

Public Works Director Steve Payne says that the increases in water rates are a direct pass through from increases at the Shoshone Municipal Pipeline, which means that each customer will be paying a dollar more each month.

However, Payne says that the electric rate changes are more complex. He says the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency passed a 6% increase on to the City as of January 1^st of this year, due to the volatility of the electric market nationwide. However, Payne says that three years ago the City went through a detailed analysis of their electric rate structure, which prompted the Council to plan for slight increases each year in the two to 2-1/2 percent range, rather than passing on the larger, more unpredictable ups and downs in electric rates to the residents.

Additionally, Payne says that while the electric usage rates will go up slightly, the base rates that the City charges will go down, so residents will not see a significant difference in their electric bill. And Payne says there is a possibility that the Park County Landfill rates may be re-negotiated in the next few months, which will save residents a little on their utility bill as well.