Local Power Rates Edge Up Slightly in November

Media Contact:

Wayne Scarbrough

(423) 745-4501 ext. 6002

wscarbrough@aub.org

October 18, 2017

ATHENS, Tenn.--The local power rate for Athens Utilities customers will edge up in November compared to October based on a higher monthly fuel charge from TVA.

AUB's all-up residential energy rate for November will be $0.08603, up from October's rate of $0.08438.

The monthly rate includes the base charge per kilowatt hour of $0.06668, unchanged from November's base rate because both months are deemed "transition" billing months in TVA's rate scheme.

For the average home use of 1225 kilowatt hours, the change will mean about $2.00 more for power for the month.

"The weather is beginning to cool just a bit as fall moves in, and winter will be here before we know it.  Now is a good time to think about how to reduce the impact of the cold weather on your heating bill," said AUB's Wayne Scarbrough.

Simple steps are some of the most effective, he said.

"First, decide how warm you must keep your home. It makes a notable difference if you can set your thermostat on 68 degrees rather than 75 degrees. To keep the heat inside your home, use inexpensive weather stripping on doors and windows to eliminate even small drafts," Scarbrough said.

Other tips include:

• Ensure adequate insulation in your attic.
• Put an insulating blanket on your water heater.
• Keep doors and windows shut at all times possible.
• Take advantage of the sun's heat by opening curtains on the sunny side of the house.
• Clean system filters every month, using your utility bill as a reminder.

AUB General Manager Eric Newberry said that despite TVA's recent public relations push to garner favor for their plan to continue with annual rate increases, AUB will continue to push back on the federal utility.

"You have seen in the past couple of weeks TVA-generated news throughout our region, including the DPA. They are working from one community to the next to try to make the case for their continual rate hikes," Newberry said.

Recently, TVA's chief finance officer, John Thomas, called the DPA to rebut what Newberry and the AUB board of directors have put forth in a resolution protesting the annual TVA actions.

"Mr. Thomas and a media rep from the agency said some very curious things in the discussion, such as the insinuation that AUB is the only community utility concerned and complaining about TVA's annual rate hikes and its annual handout of $100 million in bonuses each fall," Newberry said.

Newberry said that AUB is not the only local utility concerned and complaining to TVA loudly and clearly about the unending rate hikes.

"If they have heard only AUB then they are not listening to their customers, which are the 154 local power distributors in the Valley," he said.

"I agree with his statement that they have been transparent with the distributors such as AUB," Newberry said.

"In meeting after meeting while distributor managers voice concerns on behalf of our communities, TVA has responded to us clearly, 'This is our plan and we are not changing it,'"he said.

About 81 cents out of every dollar that AUB's power division collects goes to TVA for wholesale power that is then distributed by AUB to the utility's 13,200 area power customers.

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