Westminster acts to cut power costs

Usually this time of the year Westminster raises its retail electric power charge—once it gets word from its regional supplier that its wholesale charge is going up. But not this year. At the recommendation last night of first-year city administrator Jeff Lord, the city council adopted a new rate schedule that avoids a 4% wholesale increase this year from Piedmont Municipal Power Agency. By investing in technology, according to Lord, future rate increase will be curbed and city customers will be better served. There will be some new costs, however, including an extra $7 dollars a month to metered customers to limit the use of heating and air conditioning. Those periods, however, are to last fewer than four hours and occur fewer than ten times a year. The city promises that customers will see only a one to two degree change during those periods. Going up also is the fee to cover the cost of Westminster’s annual water permit, to increase from 30 cents to 35 cents.