With electricity rates set to increase, LUS considering delaying hike

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)  Lafayette Utility Systems has proposed a new plan to delay their electricity rate increase by one year.

News Ten's Rodricka Taylor was at the meeting held at the south regional library and spoke to the LUS director about their new proposal. 

“This year has been rough for a lot of people, a lot of our customers. Our fuel rates have gone up quite a bit, and everything else is going up, so we want to be very conscious about the impact that our utility bill will have on customers' lives so we want to make that adjustment after hearing the feedback," LUS Director Jeffrey Stewart said.  

Under the new plan, water rates would increase 8% and sewer rates would increase 9.5% with the start of the new fiscal year Nov. 1, 2022, and again in 2023 and 2024, Stewart said.

"Two weeks ago, we proposed this rate increase across the board for electricity, water and sewer over three years," Stewart said.

He said that increase would cost the average customer an additional $4 starting in November.

"The impact on the average bill is $4 dollars per month starting November and then next November an additional $9, and the following November an additional $9, so a total of a $22 per month increase, but it's going to be staged in over three years."

He said the percentage is higher for water and sewer because that is the company's major need. But the new adjustment should not impact the customers pockets to much.

“We want to maintain our level of operations, and we want to reinvest in our system so people should not, from a service perspective, see any impact going forward, but we also understand that we have to make some major investments in our system,” he said. 

The company will hold another meeting at the main library in Lafayette on Wednesday (08/24) at 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.