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POWER PLAY
Written by Courtney Sherwood
Columbian staff writer
Clark Public Utilities, the third-largest
public utility in Washington and one
of the 25 largest in the nation, faces big
challenges in the years ahead.
The Bonneville Power Administration,
which has historically provided cheap
power to the utility, is in the midst of
revamping its long-term rate structure.
The price of natural gas has fluctuated
over the past five years, and with it
costs of running the gas-fired River
Road Generating Plant.
Amidst the uncertainty about longterm
electricity costs, Clark Public
Utilities is already the fifth most
expensive source of residential power
in the state, out of 23 public and private
power providers.
And then there’s water. Growth of
Clark Public Utilities’ water customer
base has slowed this year, but even at
lower growth rates people continue to
move to areas that Clark serves.
With current sources of water taxed,
the utility must secure new wells to
meet the area’s growing demand. |
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