U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell on Thursday launched an online petition drive that aims to stop President Bush from raising the rates the Bonneville Power Administration charges utilities such as Snohomish County PUD.
Bush has proposed that federal energy wholesalers start selling their electricity at market rates, which would lead to Bonneville’s rates doubling in five years, based on the cost of electricity today.
Bonneville uses a series of dams on the Columbia River and a nuclear power plant to supply half of the electricity used in the Northwest for just the cost of generating the electricity.
Snohomish County PUD gets 80 percent of its electricity from BPA.
Bush’s plan is to raise Bonneville’s rates by 20 percent per year until they level out with the market rates, something that has drawn the ire of leaders and business owners throughout the Northwest.
“Hiking power rates by 20 percent a year is exactly opposite of what our region needs,” said. Cantwell, D-Wash. “The Bush administration needs to hear our voices in the Northwest and know that we won’t sit in silence.”
Cantwell’s petition drive is called “Stop the Rate Hike Now.” It’s accessible online at cantwell.senate.gov.
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