KENNEWICK, Wash. – Benton PUD customers might soon see an increase in their power bills. Rising wholesale costs have led the company to propose another rate hike, just a year after the last one.
Benton PUD is suggesting a 2.5% rate increase starting April 1, 2026. This would raise the average household bill from about $121 to $124 a month. While this might seem minor, some customers feel the impact differently.
Garry McCollum, a current customer, shared his concerns.
“Too much. Too soon. That cuts down on money that you can spend for gas, and I fish and camp a lot. You only got so much money, and obviously we gotta have electricity,” he said.
The company stated the increase is necessary because the Bonneville Power Administration raised its wholesale rates by nearly 9% and transmission costs by about 20% this fall. BPA supplies more than half of Benton PUD’s power.
Benton PUD is utilizing cash reserves and low-interest debt to minimize the increase.
A public hearing on the proposed rate change is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at the Benton PUD auditorium in Kennewick.
For those unable to attend in person, Benton PUD’s website offers options to join the meeting online or by phone.
Attempts to reach the company for further comment were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson was out of town.
