The average CPW customer will see its rate increase an average of $5.42 per month, according to General Manager Jeffrey Tuttle. That means customers' average utility bills – CPW provides water, sewer, gas and electricity services – will increase to $119.76, up from the $114.34 average.
The Piedmont Municipal Power Agency raised its rate for Greer CPW to purchase power at 4.3 percent. Greer added .44 percent for operations and maintenance costs. Several years ago CPW did not pass on a double digit PMPA increase that left the utility short of its projected budget.
“We are at or below the South Carolina average of other customers,” Tuttle told commissioners, Eugene Gibson, Jeff Howell and Perry Williams. CPW’s average is 51 cents higher than Duke Energy’s electricity rates.
Gibson said CPW, “gives the best deal we possibly can. You have to make some rate adjustments. In this competitive world we don’t want to be on the low end but we want to be competitive.”
CPW water and sewer rates were increased in January.
Commissioners are expected to approve the increase at its March public meeting.