FortisBC gets interim BCUC approval to increase electric rates in 2023
Posted December 7, 2022 9:51 am.
FortisBC electricity customers may notice an increase on their bills next year.
The utility says it’s received “interim approval from the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) for a 3.98 per cent general increase,” effective Jan. 1, 2023.
This hike applies to electric customers only, with the utility saying it provides electricity service to the Southern Interior.
The provider says a residential customer with an average use of about 1,000 kilowatt hours per month would see an average increase of about $7.62 a month.
FortisBC says it is forecasting an “increased cost to purchase power in the upcoming year” to serve demand, which is also increasing.
“We’re very conscious that any rate increase can be a concern for our customers and we’ve been able to find savings in our operations to offset some of this cost and lower the increase that would have otherwise been needed for 2023,” Joe Mazza, vice-president, energy supply and resource development, FortisBC, said in a release.
The company says new rates reflect what it needs to “execute on its plans for 2023 and maintain the system.”
The BCUC’s approval is on what FortisBC calls an “interim, refundable basis,” with a final decision expected later next year.
