MID power bills will rise again. Here are 12 of its discounts and conservation rebates
Another round of electricity rate hikes won approval from the Modesto Irrigation District board.
The average home’s bill will rise by 15% over the next two years, to about $190 a month as of January 2025. Businesses also will pay more.
Tuesday’s vote was 4-1, with Director John Boer dissenting. He said the increases would be tough on low-income customers.
The MID staff said the higher rates would help cover a 20% jump in wholesale power costs, mainly generated with natural gas.
“We have a big shortfall, no question,” board President Larry Byrd said. “We have this because of the price of doing business.”
MID had gone from 2012 to 2022 without raising rates. A year ago, the board approved increases totaling about 10% for 2023 and 2024. The wholesale power situation prompted the staff to suggest an additional boost next year and yet another rise in 2025.
The board considered three options for phasing in the increases. The one it chose will mean a 7.5% increase for homes as of Jan. 1, on top of the earlier approved bump of 2.7%, and 5% more a year later.
MID also plans to cover a small part of its $40.3 million budget gap with monthly adjustments to the rates, starting in 2025. This will be based on the wholesale power market and could mean a credit for customers if it improves.
MID offers several ways that homes can reduce their costs. They include discounts off monthly bills and rebates for qualifying conservation measures. Among them:
Low-income discount: The MID CARES program trims $18 off the flat service fee each month and 23% off the per-kilowatt charge for the first 850.
Medical life support: Customers can get 50% off the first 500 kilowatt-hours in a billing cycle if they have electric life-support devices or a health condition that requires heating or cooling.
Solar net metering: Customers who generate electricity with solar panels can get credits when the output exceeds their use.
Insulation: MID offers a rebate of 17 cents per square foot for attic insulation.
Replacement windows: Rebate of $2 per square foot.
Clothes washer: $35 rebate
Stove: $100 rebate for models using the induction cooking method
Single-room air conditioner: $50 rebate
Central air conditioner: Rebates of $350 or $600, depending on the new model’s efficiency
Heat pump: Rebates of $450 or $700, depending on model. This device can either heat or cool a home by exchanging air between inside and outside.
Whole house fan: $100 rebate. It moves heated or cooled air around as needed.
Smart thermostat: $50 rebate. Residents can control heating or cooling when away from home.
Other incentives and details on how to qualify are at www.mid.org.
This story was originally published November 16, 2023 at 8:49 AM.
