Marias River Electric Cooperative, Inc. has several classes of electric service depending on the amount and type of service required by its consumers.
ATTENTION MEMBERS: Base Rate Increase
Marias River Electric Cooperative will be implementing a rate increase effective September 1, 2022. The Board of Directors and staff do not take this rate increase lightly and has done everything possible to minimize its impact on you, the member-owners. However, to continue providing reliable, high-quality service, MREC must implement this increase to the base rate for each rate class.
The increase will take effect September 1, 2022 and is an additional $10.00 per month for all members in each rate class.
Each year, MREC staff members and board of directors assess many factors while reviewing the cooperative’s financial position and future direction. During the evaluations of 2021 and 2022, it became clear there was need for a rate increase. Our last rate adjustment was 5 years ago in 2018.
When considering a rate change, the board and staff look at both the base rate and the use charge. Currently, less than 20 percent of MREC’s fixed costs are collected through the base rate. However, up to 70% of the cooperative’s overall costs are fixed. For this reason, it made the most sense to increase the base rate and not the kilowatt hour charge.
On average, Marias River Electric purchases 65% of its power from Western Area Power Administration federal hydro projects. The cost of this carbon-free power will be increasing in 2023 and possible 2024. Over the past three years, our cost to provide service to you has increase substantially (fuel, material, shipping costs, postage), and so much more. We have done our best to absorb these costs, unfortunately we cannot continue.
Safety, reliability, and affordability remain the main focus of your board and staff at MREC. We are a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative and strive every day to hold down costs while still providing the safe, reliable, quality service you expect.
Although this increase is necessary, Marias River Electric Cooperative rates are well below both the state and national average among electric cooperatives. If you have any questions, please call our office at 406-434-5575 and one of our office staff would be happy to answer your questions/concerns.
Cooperatively yours,
Kris Ingenthron, General Manager