PacifiCorp proposes to raise Klamath irrigators' power fees 2500 percent of the current contractual rate by 2006.

by KBC 2/26/05

On March 3, 1:30 p.m. at the Klamath County Fairgrounds, Klamath Water Users Association will update the public on the current status of the power negotiations. PacifiCorp proposes by 2006 to increase the power rates by 2500 percent for geographically concentrated family farms and businesses that were invited by the federal government to settle the region based, in part, on the promise that low-cost power would be made available to them.

Scott Seus, member of the Klamath Water User's power committee,  explains that their committee has been actively engaged since 1998 in an effort to maintain affordable power for irrigators in the Klamath Basin.  The Power Committee will give a briefing to the basin's farmers of the history of the power contract that we currently exercise with PacifiCorp and the Bureau of Reclamation.   The status of the committee's efforts in several venues will be discussed by committee members and their attorney. 

According to Seus, "Farmers will begin receiving "mock bills" from PacifiCorp during the month of March that will show what the cost of their power would have been during the last 4 years should they have been at tariff rates.  Examples of "mock bills" generated by PacifiCorp will be distributed and explained at the meeting so that ratepayers will be able to decipher their own "mock bills" when they arrive in the mail."

Dave Sabo, Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Area Office, will give an update on electrical power discussions and on water supply conditions.

There will be also be an opportunity to meet Klamath Water Users Associations new Executive Director.

Opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of Klamath Basin farms will also be discussed

Please attend the meeting to find out the most current details