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Goodbye to a
Challenging Year
Amid record fuel costs, our electric
rates still fall
below national average
The year 2008 is almost behind us now, and it proved to be a trying one with the drastic increases in gasoline prices – not to mention all the other consumer products that were affected by rising fuel costs.
Oil, natural gas, heating fuels, LPG and coal all saw record increases this past year. The Tennessee Valley Authority, as well as each of the Tennessee municipal electric systems, was faced with escalating costs of generating the electric power we need each and every day.
Combined with all the other rising costs of doing business, the challenges this past year seemed almost insurmountable at times. The continuing drought once again reduced TVA’s ability to fully utilize its hydro system and forced it to purchase power from outside the valley to provide for customers’ needs. These higher coal and natural gas costs, transportation of fuel and the already-mentioned need to purchase power generated elsewhere caused increases in your electric bill in the form of a fuel cost adjustment.
Each of you experienced the record increase this past October, and unfortunately, rising fuel costs continue to plague TVA.
Hopefully, the increases won’t be so drastic in the coming months. It may be little consolation, but TVA and your local municipal electric power system are doing everything possible to secure future electric energy needs and keep the cost of electricity competitive.
We still benefit from an electric rate that is well below the national average. We are blessed here in the valley to have dedicated public servants overseeing this most important necessity, electricity.
Here at TMEPA we’re getting ready for the next session of the Tennessee General Assembly,
which starts the second Tuesday
of January. As usual, we’ll be watching the introduction of
bills that may have an adverse
effect on local electric companies
as well as those that would be beneficial to their operations. In addition, we’ll continue working with our legislators regarding issues such as the right of municipals to offer telecommunication services, fees for attaching to the electric poles by other companies
(cable and telephone), workers’ compensation, insurance and any other issue that could cost you – the customers of the municipal systems – more money.
Our goal is to assist the members of TMEPA in providing outstanding electric service, customer service and continued low-cost electricity. We encourage you to let your legislators know that Public Power deserves consideration when legislation is considered that could affect your cost or your service. After all, they serve the public as we do.
Mike Vinson
Executive Director
Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association
