Coastal Power & Light proposes 6 percent rate increase
The utility says the money will pay for storm-proofing the grid
Coastal Power & Light has asked regulators to approve a 6 percent rate increase, its first in four years, saying the money is needed to bury lines and reinforce substations against winter storms.
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"We heard the same thing at every meeting: people want to know what happens next and who is accountable," said Helen Osei, who chairs the committee that reviewed the proposal. "This document answers both questions."
Officials at Northshore Transit said the change will be phased in over the next eighteen months, starting with the neighborhoods closest to the waterfront. A second phase, covering the rest of Marrow County, is expected to begin next spring.
Not everyone is convinced. A group of business owners along Front Street argued that the schedule leaves too little time to adapt, and asked for a longer transition period. The request will be discussed at the next public session.
What it means for a typical bill
The numbers behind the plan are modest by regional standards, but significant for a city the size of Port Ellery. According to figures released this week, the program will cost about $3.4 million over three years, with roughly a third covered by state grants.
For Helen Osei, a resident of the East Harbor district for more than two decades, the announcement was overdue. "We have been asking for this since my kids were in school," she said. "I am glad it is finally moving, even if it is later than it should be."
The measure passed with broad support after an amendment removed the most contested clause. Supporters called the compromise a practical way forward; critics said it postponed the hardest questions to a later date.