Increase to Basic Service Charge Effective May 1, 2022

There are several factors that contribute to an increase in these costs, many of which are uncontrollable. The transition from carbon to green energy has been well underway for several years and isn’t going to stop. Many of these changes are driven by regulatory initiatives. Coal plants are shutting down and renewable energy is increasing. Gasoline, natural gas, and propane costs are on the rise, as we have all experienced in our own personal lives. Given the inflation of these fuels and more, the cost of operating for Valley has greatly increased. Our power supply alone has increased in excess of $10M over the last 2 years. Out of the increase in cost, Valley has absorbed $5.8M, mitigating $4.2M to be passed on.

The team at Valley has done everything possible to minimize the impact of these increases on the membership. Despite our best efforts, Valley must implement a price increase to the Basic Service Charge for our Residential, Small Commercial, and General Service rate classes.

At the March 2022 Board of Director’s meeting, an increase to the Basic Service Charge was approved for 3 of our rate classes. Our Residential Basic Service Charge is going up from $20 to $35, and Small Commercial and General Services rate is going from $37.50 to $52.50. The increase takes effect on May 1, 2022. The billing period following the increase will show a prorated amount. If it is a prepaid account, the increase will be added to the daily charge.

We understand that this may be a burden to some of our membership. We want to provide our members with conservation tips that might help mitigate some of the financial burdens of the increase.

Reduce your thermostat 2-4 degrees in winter and increase it 2-4 degrees in summer
Run full loads of dishes and laundry
Set your water heater to 120 degrees
Turn off all lights and appliances when not in use
During the summer months, you can help by reducing your usage during the peak hours of 5-9 pm.

Safety, reliability, and affordability for our membership will continue to be the focus of the Board and the Valley team. As a member-owned cooperative, we work hard to keep costs down and continue to provide quality services that our membership is accustomed to. Rest assured we are fighting for you in a difficult economy and an increased power supply market.