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    Monday, April 29, 2024

    Norwich Public Utilities proposed budget calls for rate increases

    Norwich — The Board of Public Utilities Commissioners Tuesday reviewed budgets for the four divisions that comprise Norwich Public Utilities, all of which show spending increases for the 2015-16 fiscal year and call for rate increases for all services effective July 1.

    According to the proposed budgets presented Tuesday, the combined expense budgets for the four divisions total $90.7 million, a $4.3 million increase over this year’s combined budget total. Overall revenues from the combined divisions are projected at $96.8 million.

    NPU will turn over $7.8 million to the city in the 2015-16 budget, the charter-required 10 percent of gross revenues based on the audited revenue figures from the 2013-14 fiscal year. The total is a $377,844 increase over last year’s contribution to the city’s tax base.

    Rate increases for the 2015-16 fiscal year would range from 2.8 percent on the average monthly for natural gas to an 8.6 percent increase in the average monthly bill for sewer customers.

    According to a bill comparison chart provided by NPU Tuesday, an average natural gas bill would increase by $2.97 to $105.52. An average electric customer would pay $4.05 more per month with a total bill of $119.89. Water customers would see a $1.42 increase in a monthly bill to $44.89, while sewer customers would see a $3.59 increase to $44.89.

    The Board of Public Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget and rate changes at its April 28 meeting and is scheduled to vote on the budget May 26.

    Although the sewer rate increase is the highest of the four divisions, the total would be offset by a proposed one-year 50 percent reduction in the mandatory sewer upgrade charge added to each customer’s bill. That would save ratepayers a total of $900,000 in the coming fiscal year, said Steve Sinko, NPU division manager.

    Sinko said delays in the $100 million sewer plant upgrade project will mean the utility would not need to start paying down the project debt until about 2020. The mandatory upgrade charge is expected to cover $32 million of the total $100 million project cost.

    The electric division is by far the largest for the city-owned utility, serving all properties citywide. Electric expenses are projected to total $58.23 million in 2015-16, a $3.14 million increase. The rapidly expanding natural gas division expense budget is projected to total nearly $17 million, a $457,000 increase over this year. Natural gas revenue is projected at $18.2 million, an increase of $638,153.

    The water division expenses would increase by $600,503 to a total of $8.63 million, with revenues nearly flat at $8.9 million, an increase of $60,000.

    The sewer budget, the utility’s smallest division, has a projected expense budget of $6.87 million, an increase of $127,481.

    c.bessette@theday.com

    Twitter: @Bessettetheday

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