Clark Public Utilities won’t raise rates next year under a 2025 budget adopted by commissioners Tuesday morning.
“It’s always good to adopt a budget that has no rate increase involved,” Commissioner Jane Van Dyke said.
This year is a contrast to 2023, when the utility’s rates went up 14.5 percent overall to bridge a shortfall. The budgetary pinch was due to a variety of factors, including inflation and supply chain issues, extreme weather, low water levels that hindered hydroelectric generation, as well as Washington’s clean-energy requirements.
Under the adopted 2025 budget, the utility expects to add 10 new employees, bringing its workforce to 444.5 full-time equivalent staff members.
Top 5 Highest Paid Employees
Lena Wittler, CEO and General Manager: $351,750
Melissa Ankeny, Director of Finance: $284,950
Cal Morris, Director of Engineering: $262,784
Eugene Morris, Director of Operations: $260,780
Jeffrey Groff, Director of Information Services: $253,541
The utility’s budget is divided into three main categories — its electric and water systems and the River Road Generating Plant.
The electric system’s budget is based on revenue from water and electric rates. It’s $488 million for 2025 compared with $455.5 million in 2024. Of that, $314.8 million will go to power supply costs including hydropower, wind purchases and transmission services to meet forecasted load. A portion of that budget goes to operations and maintenance — $82.3 million in 2025, compared with $76.8 million in 2024.
The water system’s budget will be $23.3 million, compared with $23.1 million in 2024. The water system’s capital budget of $27.3 million in 2025 includes water main improvements in unincorporated Clark County.
The River Road Generating Plant’s budget is $97.5 million in 2025, a decrease from $99.6 million in 2024.
The utility plans to spend $97.9 million on capital projects for the electric system and the River Road Generating Plant, including work on substations and transmission and distribution lines.
Commissioner Jim Malinowski, who is retiring at the end of the year, said electric utilities continue to confront challenges.
“You’re going to face some real uncertainty,” he told his fellow board members.
However, Commissioner Nancy Barnes said the transition to clean energy is exciting. The utility is currently transitioning its River Road natural gas plant to a fluctuating rather than base load power source.
“But we are sacrificing affordability and reliability,” she said. “We have to be very careful that those things don’t happen.”
