Another Rate Increase For Utility With Wind Energy Exposure

Link here.

The Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative on Friday approved a wholesale rate increase for its co-op members.

The board approved a 4.5 percent increase, effective this month. The increase comes four months after a 4.5 percent increase in December.

More electricity, less demand, and "we" still gotta pay off those pesky wind turbines.

Spring runoff is happening a little sooner than usual, producing more hydropower in the Columbia Basin, there is more wind power in the market and the demand for power is flat, he said. All of which is driving down the short-term price of electricity.

The wholesale price increase is needed for Southern to balance its revenues with expenses in a fluctuating market.

It would have been interesting for the writer to go a bit more into the "expenses." One can guess where additional expenses are originating.

This was predicted a few days ago in a story regarding same circumstances affecting BPA.