By SUE RYAN
News staff writer
June 1, 2007

Electric rates went up 13 percent for Pacific Power and Light customers in Hood River County on Friday.

An Oregon Public Utility Commission decision on Wednesday approved the increase following last week’s action by the Bonneville Power Administration to stop subsidy payments to investor-owned utilities.

“Oh no,” said Sue Wiebalk, the secretary for Dee Irrigation District. “Our bills are already so high with our houses, cabins, and the pumps are a big, big part of it this time of year.”

Wiebalk said for her family’s 60-acre farm, they will pay $1,800 to $2,000 a month more with the increase. She handles the billing for the 64 customers who use the 1,000-acre irrigation district. Wiebalk said use is highest during the summer growing season of June through September.

Unlike some other farmers who also buy power from PP&L, the Dee Flat area depends entirely upon pumped water for its needs. Steve Hunt serves on the Dee Irrigation District board of directors.

He explained Wednesday afternoon how water flows into the system via an open canal from the West Fork of the Hood River coming down off Lolo Pass in the Cascade Mountains.

“For the 1,000 acres in the Dee District, none of it is pressurized,” Hunt said.

While some other farmers in the county also purchase power from PP&L, they don’t use electricity to run irrigation for their farms. Farmers Irrigation District users won’t feel the effect as much since 75 percent of their district is pressurized.

“Because of that I don’t really use electricity to run the farm operation.” said Bill Mellow, an orchardist on Portland Drive.

Frank Wimmers, an orchardist on Binns Hill Drive, echoed that thought, saying he also is on a gravity-fed system.

“It (the water) comes in at 140 psi and you have to slow it down to 30 to irrigate but that (not having to pump) is the real blessing to being pressurized,” Wimmers said.

The PUC estimated a typical residential bill would increase by $9.66 a month for Pacific Corp users. That may not hurt some households, but those most affected will include people on fixed or low incomes.

Jim Slusher directs the Mid-Columbia Community Action program for Wasco and Hood River counties. He is concerned not only about the current situation but the impacts later on this year.

“Summertime rates might be a little lower, but come this winter with heating rates for families without the best insulated homes they will use more electricity,” said Slusher.

He said many of his clients already pay 20 to 30 percent of their incomes for electricity to heat their homes.

The ripple effect now hitting Hood River County follows a federal appeals court ruling on May 3. The BPA stopped the payment reduction after a U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision.

They found that certain actions by the agency in having the residential exchange agreements with investor-owned utilities were inconsistent with the Northwest Power Act. Their ruling meant officials could be personally liable if payments were made that were inconsistent with the law. The court case came from litigation filed by public utilities.

For the Northwest, it affects mainly residential and small-farm customers of Portland General Electric, Idaho Power and Pacific Corp, which is the parent company for PP&L.