The value of public power
As your public utility district, we are a not-for-profit organization. That means you’re more than a customer. You’re an owner! That makes a big difference in our priorities. We aren’t driven by making profits for shareholders. Instead, we reinvest back in our infrastructure to better serve you.
Did you know?
The PUD has been recognized as an RP3 Public Utility. Learn why that is cause for celebration.
Our rates are based on cost, not profit
- The biggest expense for your PUD is purchasing power to serve our customers
Your electricity is a great value!
| 2015 | 2025 | Increase | ||
| Eggs (1 dozen) | $1.28 | $4.95 | 287% | |
| Ground Beef (1 lb.) | $2.53 | $5.74 | 127% | |
| Oranges (1 lb.) | $0.80 | $1.54 | 93% | |
| Chicken (1 lb.) | $1.04 | $2.05 | 97% | |
| Electricity Bill (US, per month)* | $90 | $180 | 100% | |
| Electricity Bill (PUD, per month)* | $94.51 | $127.43 | 35% | |
| Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. *Typical, based on 1,000 kWh of usage per month. | ||||
Our rates land in the middle of regional utilities
This chart compares residential bills from various regional utilities. Based on 1,000 kilowatt-hours (average rates, as of August 29, 2024; includes customer charges where applicable)
| Portland General Electric | $189.79 |
| Puget Sound Energy | $142.59 |
| Seattle City Light | $142.34 |
| Grays Harbor PUD | $130.10 |
| Snohomish PUD* | $127.43 |
| Klickitat PUD | $124.93 |
| Tacoma Power | $108.86 |
| Clark PUD | $106.90 |
| Cowlitz PUD | $91.70 |
Assumptions: 5 kW residential (25% load factor), weighted average of summer/winter rates if applicable. *Assumes Medium-level base charge at rates effective April 1, 2025.
Financial benefits that support our rates
- Capital improvements are financed with municipal revenue bonds that are exempt from federal income tax
- Access to lower-cost hydroelectric power marketed at wholesale rates by federal and state agencies
- Stable rates earn us lower finance rates to fund improvements
- A strong commitment to conservation programs reduces the need to buy additional power from the expensive wholesale power market
- Our efforts result in very strong bond ratings from the top three financial agencies.
Local priorities
- Governed by a three-person Commission, composed of three elected individuals who live in our service territory
- Commission meetings are open to the public who are encouraged to attend
- Most employees live in our service territory, pay PUD bills and are committed to our communities
Community values
- Our bill assistance for income-qualified customers provide 25% or 50% reductions on bills, depending on income level and help thousands of customers in our communities
- Generous customer donations support the Community Energy Fund, a program that helps those challenged to pay their PUD bills
- Employee donations fund Helping Hands, a program that provides additional financial assistance to income-qualified customers
- Working safely and keeping our employees and customers safe is our top priority. We take safety measures very seriously.
- For more than 30 years, we have offered fun, creative and packed-with-learning educational programming in our local classrooms, helping thousands of children learn about power and water.
Environmental commitment
- We are lucky to be located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where most of our electricity is generated by hydropower, but we continually look for other renewable resources to meet our demand for power
- We have offered innovative and successful energy-efficiency programs and services to our customers for more than 40 years! The results have saved hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours.
- Electric Transportation Plan (click to view)
- Every day is Earth Day at the PUD