Overall electric bills, adjusted for inflation, are now almost 15 percent lower than they were 20 years ago.

In 2009 our economy crashed. Construction tanked, home prices and sales nose dived, jobs disappeared, and, even low paying jobs became scarce. Wage earners and their families left the islands.

OPALCO Board directed that construction projects supporting local companies, member low income support such as PAL, and member cost savings programs such as Energy Efficiency continue, but that grid updates be postponed, rate increases be kept to an absolute minimum, and financial reserves be drawn down to pay for the shortfall.

We all expected the economic recession to last a few years. Instead, it has dragged on for more than six years, and is still with us just now starting to ease.

Then, last year OPALCO saw a “perfect storm.” A cold snap in February caused member energy demand to exceed BPA allocation for one hour, triggering BPA to charge a $200,000 assessment.

2014 was our warmest year on record causing a dramatic revenue shortfall of $1,400,000. OPALCO cut expenses by $400,000 to reduce the financial damage.

Then, our cable inspection process revealed the underwater transmission cable to San Juan Island was degrading faster than anticipated and needed replacing ahead of schedule. Replacement was brought forward to 2017 and the preliminary bid estimate was a whopping $15,000,000.

With reserves low, grid updates that will no longer wait, significant losses from last year and a very expensive cable replacement, the Board made the unpopular but necessary decision of raising rates to replenish reserves to keep our non-profit Cooperative healthy and sustainable.

OPALCO leads the nation in delivering low carbon low cost energy. OPALCO electricity continues to be among the cheapest in the nation. Check it out at is.gd/ypy5KN. My goal is to ensure OPALCO continues to reliably deliver the cleanest electricity, at lowest cost, when you need it, and fairly allocates the costs of doing so. Please vote by mail-in ballot or on-line at opalco.com.

Chris Thomerson

OPALCO Board Candidate