Don't blame us for looming power price hike - West Point officials
West Point officials say looming rate hike traces to TVA, not city
City leaders told residents at this week's Board of Selectmen meeting that an anticipated rise in electricity costs stems from the Tennessee Valley Authority, not decisions by West Point's own utility.
The comments came during the Sept. 9 regular meeting of the Mayor and Board of Selectmen, following a report from the city's Water & Light department. A city official presiding over the discussion, whose identity as mayor could not be confirmed in the meeting record, sought to distance West Point's electric system from the coming increase. "This is nothing to do with West Point electric system," the official said. "TVA imposes a rate increase and it's a pass through through every uh LPA that buys from TVA." The remark followed the department's report referencing a wholesale rate increase discussed elsewhere in the meeting as potentially reaching 30 percent over six years, though that figure was not independently verified against TVA's published rate filings.
TVA, a federally owned utility, sets wholesale power rates for local power companies like West Point's, which then pass those costs to customers. City officials appeared eager to make clear before any increase reaches bills that the decision originated with the federal utility rather than local government.