WEC welcomed 2024 with a new member on its senior leadership team. In the first days of the new year, JJ Vandette joined WEC staff as the Co-op’s first Director of Special Projects and Innovation. Other Vermont utilities, including Green Mountain Power and Vermont Electric Co-op, have senior positions with “Innovation” in the title. It’s a word that suggests the …
Multiple factors cause the Co-op to need to raise rates by more than 10 percent By Louis Porter WEC is planning to file a request for a significant rate increase with state regulators this month, due to a decline in production from the Coventry plant as work has taken place on the Casella landfill, very high and volatile electricity prices …
As rates rise, members lose incentive to switch from fossil fuels to electric As a cooperative electric utility with an environmental mission, WEC exists in a mixed landscape of not-for-profits, for-profits, and state goals and mandates, all working to change Vermonters’ behavior. While all are aiming to reduce emissions and fossil fuel use, “we’re running at cross purposes in getting …
All members require infrastructure, but cost to maintain it is shifted to ratepayers WEC’s infrastructure costs have risen in recent years. The Co-op has prioritized improving reliability in the face of climate change-related storms and tree damage: that means replacing old poles, installing new poles to shorten long spans of wire, removing “danger trees” that could fall on the lines, …
WEC’s rate redesign, incentivizing beneficial electrification, now in full effect Co-op continues to support broadband rollout, Community Fund donations, and hosts two member events in September New rate design now in full effect Steve: The final phase of WEC’s rate redesign took effect July 1. According to the Public Utility Commission’s ruling, we’ve been required to implement the changes in …
Final Phase of Rate Design Effective July 1 On July 1, the final phase of WEC’s rate redesign takes effect: The residential monthly customer charge will rise to $26.49 The residential charge per kilowatt hour will drop to $0.21149 Members will continue to purchase the first 100 kilowatt hours each month at the reduced rate of $0.08476. This is not …
And other brief updates from this issue of Co-op Currents As provided by state law, the Energy Efficiency Charge (EEC) is collected by all Vermont electric utilities and paid directly to the statewide Energy Efficiency Utility (Efficiency Vermont). This year, Efficiency Vermont will continue to maintain a flat budget, while reducing residential EEC rates by 8 percent, and keeping commercial …