I know the utilities are always quick to ask for rate changes so this must have simply been an oversight by MDU forgetting to request a decrease in electric rates for its customers. Perhaps MDU did make the request; I don't know. But the article says MDU was "ordered" to reduce its rates.
For those who wonder where this came from, one word: Trump.
In January, the North Dakota
Public Service Commission ordered the company to report savings from
its reduced federal income tax rate. As a result, it was determined MDU
should return $8.5 million annually to customers, Commissioner Julie
Fedorchak said.
After
some discussion, the commissioners unanimously voted to amend the
original proposal, which would have allowed the company to keep
$300,000, to instead give the full value of the tax credit to
ratepayers.
$8.5 million / 410,000 / 12 = $1.73 / customer / month, I guess. Assuming I did the math correctly. A typical monthly bill, I suppose, would be about $250 so, now, about $249.
I assume MDU will add a processing fee of $2.50/month to cover the administrative headaches involved, including a letter to all its customers them they will see a lower electricity rate in the coming months. Just a hunch about the processing fee.
Note: the NDPSC ruling, I would assume applies only to MDU's ND customers, but that's where the majority of its customers are located.
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