Lansing Board of Water and Light customers are voicing their opposition to a planned rate hike.
Close to two dozen residents spoke out at the BWL Board of Commissioners public hearing Tuesday against the plan, saying they’re already struggling to make ends meet.
The utility is proposing rate increases for water and electricity that would last over the next two years. Residential electricity bills would go up by 6.95% this October and 6% next year. Water rates would increase by 9.23% this year and 9.15% in 2025.
The BWL said the average customer will pay $11 more on their monthly bills if the rate hike is approved.
Jeff Spangler, who works for Disability Network Capital Area, said he often hears from individuals who have disabilities and live on fixed incomes that aren’t able to pay their bills.
“Why have consumers having to make this decision between paying for their medications or paying for the water?" Spangler said. "I think we all know that people deserve better than that.”
BWL officials said the rate increases are lower than the rate of inflation.
"These increases are to ensure we continue to provide the safe and reliable utility services our customers have come to expect, but they're also necessary to support BWL's clean energy goals," said BWL chief financial officer Heather Shawa in a press release.
But residents criticized the utility for its plans to develop a new natural gas plant. It's estimated that the facility would release hundreds of thousands of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Marshall Clabeaux accused the utility of "a dereliction of duty" and urged
the BWL to use federal incentives to make wind and solar energy investments and cut costs for customers.
“Low income [people] are being hurt by the cost and pollution of your investments, to attribute to clean energy when it's a gas plant that's being built is shameful.”
The utility’s board of commissioners is expected to vote on the proposed rate hike at its meeting Aug. 27. The increases would take effect in October.
The Lansing Board of Water and Light is a financial supporter of WKAR.
