CHANGE IN ELECTRICITY RATES. ALP customers will see a 3.5% increase in electric rates in January, 2010. The increase in rates is necessary because of increased operating costs. Western Area Power Administration, the agency that provides about 1/3 of the wholesale power that ALP purchases, will be increasing the wholesale rate by about 13%. Also, the transmission rate, the cost to deliver energy over the transmission system, will increase by about 8%. Therefore, those increases will be blended into the total wholesale power costs and rates will need to be raised to help cover those additional costs.

WATER RATE INCREASE: Water rates will see an increase of 5% in 2010. Rates need to be increased because of increasing operating costs and growth in the municipal water system.