Electricity overcharge should be returned

We begin this by asking a question of the city residential electric users if they observed the submission to city council on Nov. 27 by the City’s Electric Services manager on the 2018 electricity tariff.

The manager reported to council (his words) that over the past few years “our rates have over-collected transmission access fees from our customers” — you, the users. He goes on to say that this money needs to be returned to all rate classes, which includes residential users — $5 per month.

We were somewhat pleased with the Electric Services manager’s proposed action on a reduced residential monthly user fee on the transmission charge. It seemed to be of no concern to members of city council who control the City distribution tariff.

We would ask the residential electricity users look at their 2018 City electric bill under billing line “Transmission Charge,” which is an AUC Alberta-controlled ISO tariff, to be reduced $5 a month, and also the City-controlled rider, a Local Access Fee (LAF) which is to be reduced to $9.59 in 2018.

It should be noted the new city council approved a $5 increase to their distribution charge on your bill. They say $36 monthly. Figure this, residential customers — 41,000 x $36 x12 = $17,712,000.

A letter was forwarded to the city council on behalf of residential electricity users for return of transmission credits, user fees for the past two years — 2017, $7,303,866, and 2018, $7,458,254, and extended to the past four years.

So we have been overcharged for past years; the members of council should have questioned the electricity manager on this. It will be up to the citizens to intervene regarding their residential electricity user fee charges; the money needs to be returned.

Ken Ikle

Spokesperson for Committee for Residential Utilities Lethbridge