CCEC Announces 2025 Rate Adjustment

At Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative, we understand affordability and reliability matter to you. Like many industries, electric utilities are facing rising costs due to inflation, supply chain issues and increased wholesale power rates. To continue delivering safe, reliable electricity while maintaining financial stability, CCEC will implement a necessary rate adjustment effective May 1, 2025, with an average increase of 7.5% across all rate classes.

How It Affects Your Electric Bill
For residential members, the monthly base charge will increase by $1.29 to $35.79, and the energy charge will increase by 0.89 cents to 10.45 cents per kilowatt-hour. This translates to a 7.8% increase for residential members.

For a typical residential member consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this results in a $10.04 increase, bringing the total bill from $130.25 to $140.29. This example highlights the combined effect of the base charge adjustment and the energy charge rate increase on an average household.

As a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, CCEC sets rates based on the actual cost of providing service. This adjustment follows an independent Cost of Service Analysis, which reviewed operational expenses, the rising cost of
equipment and materials, infrastructure investments and wholesale power costs.

“We’re mindful of the impact of rising costs our members are facing, and we don’t take this decision lightly,” CCEC
Board President Jim Kolen says. “Unfortunately, we are seeing higher costs across our operations. The cost of the materials and equipment needed to deliver power to your homes and businesses, such as transformers and underground wire, have increased significantly in price, making it more expensive for us to provide the reliable service you expect and deserve.”

Managing Costs While Maintaining Reliable Service
Before making any rate adjustments, CCEC took steps to control costs and improve efficiency while maintaining safe, reliable and high-quality service. Actions include:

• Reducing expenses where possible without compromising service quality.
• Using technology to improve efficiency and reduce labor costs.
• Improving operational efficiency across departments.
• Strategically timing system upgrades to maximize value.
• Examining our long-range capital plan for additional savings.

“Our leadership team is working hard to minimize these impacts,” CCEC General Manager and CEO Brent Bischoff says.“We’re pursuing all available options to mitigate rising costs while maintaining reliable service and rapid outage response. This includes planning for Bonneville Power Administration’s announced wholesale power rate adjustments in late 2025 as we balance inflationary pressures with our duty to maintain financial integrity.”

Tools to Help Manage Members’ Electric Bills
We understand that rate adjustments can be challenging for our members and affect household and business budgets. As a member-owned cooperative, we offer resources to help you manage energy costs effectively:

• Online portal: Access to account management tools, including automated payments and energy use monitoring.
• Daily use alerts: Sign up to receive daily notifications about your kWh use to help monitor and control energy consumption. To enroll, visitcce.coop or contact member services directly.
• Flexible payment programs: Choose from billing options that fit your needs, including prepay billing, budget billing and levelized billing to make your electric costs more predictable.
• Personalized consultations: Schedule a 15-minute appointment with a member services representative who can explain how the rate adjustment will affect your specific account and provide customized energy-efficiency tips to help lower your bill.

Sign Up for a 15- Minute Consultation

“We know this rate adjustment may raise questions, and we’re here to help,” CCEC Marketing and Member Services Manager Keith Buchhalter says. “Our member services team is ready to provide personalized support, explain how this impacts your specific bill and offer practical tips to manage your energy usage and costs.”

We remain committed to providing you with the high-quality reliable service you expect while carefully managing costs and planning for the future. If you have questions about this rate adjustment or need assistance, reach out to the member services team at 541-332-3931.