Yearly Price Modification Requests Submitted by Avista in Washington State
Avista Corporation (NYSE: AVA) has recently filed rate adjustments with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. The proposed changes, if approved, will impact both residential electric and natural gas customers in the state.
The proposed electric rate increases for residential customers are as follows: Residential Service - Schedules 1, 7 & 8 (2.6%), General Service - Schedules 11, 12, 13, 17 & 18 (1.5%), Large General Service - Schedules 21, 22 & 23 (1.2%), Extra Large General Service - Schedules 25 & 25I (-0.2%), Pumping Service - Schedules 31 & 32 (2.0%), Street & Area Lights - Schedules 42-48 (1.4%), Overall (1.7%).
If approved, residential electric customers using an average of 945 kilowatt hours/month would see an increase of $3.27/month, or approximately 2.6%, in their monthly bills. The percentage change for electric bills varies by rate schedule and energy usage.
On the other hand, natural gas rates are set to decrease by 8.6%, while electric rates will increase by 1.7%. The rate adjustments for natural gas customers, if approved, are as follows: General Service - Schedule 101 (9.1%), Large General Service - Schedules 111 & 112 (8.1%), Interruptible Sales Service - Schedules 131 & 132 (5.7%), Transportation Service - Schedule 146 (3.3%), Overall (8.6%).
As a result, most residential natural gas customers in Washington using an average of 66 therms per month would see a decrease of $9.13 per month, or approximately 9.5%, in their monthly bills. The percentage change for natural gas bills also varies by rate schedule and energy usage.
The rate adjustments are influenced by various factors, including the Residential Exchange Program, which is expected to result in an increase of $4.6 million or 0.6% in electric revenues, and the Climate Commitment Act, which could lead to a decrease of $7.6 million or 2.7% in natural gas revenues.
Avista also provides funding for local community action agencies to assist eligible customers who need emergency grants, home weatherization, and heating system improvements. Additionally, the Low Income Rate Assistance Program offers bill assistance to income-eligible customers for both electric and natural gas services.
For customers with special health or financial circumstances, Avista's Customer Assistance Referral and Evaluation Services (CARES) team can help connect them with resources for assistance with housing, other utilities, medical assistance, and more. The company also offers the My Energy Discount, a personalized monthly bill discount program to help eligible customers lower their energy bills.
In 2025, Avista proposed annual electric rate increases of approximately 3% to 4%. The Wildfire Expense Balancing, Insurance Expense Balancing, and the Clean Energy Implementation Plan are also factors in the proposed rate adjustments, with each having a potential impact on either electric or natural gas revenues.
