To the editor:
There are times when standing pat poses greater risk than making a change. We face this situation as Bainbridge Island considers creating a public power utility.
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) would provide our new power utility with low-cost Tier 1 power that is the most reliable in the region, the cheapest available, and generated carbon free.
We’d gain local control to better serve the community, create about 25 well-paid jobs, realize lower long-term electricity costs, and have options for expanded services such as broadband to compete with Comcast.
If we delay, we risk BPA committing its quota for Tier 1 power to other communities.
PSE risks our climate by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, deriving 35 percent from coal and 24 percent from natural gas (compared to 0 percent for BPA Tier 1 power).
We’d risk much higher costs if we stay with PSE, which last year raised their rates 11 percent!
In addition to common rate hikes, ratepayers can expect to fund the high costs to close coal plants PSE operates (reportedly to require greater than $200 million).
If a carbon tax is enacted it would apply to PSE but not BPA Tier 1.
Our lower electricity costs would allow paying the infrastructure purchase with a rate-funded bond while maintaining current billing rates; notably, PSE’s $70 million to $90 million estimate for infrastructure buyout appears double the reality, as their basis is the $103 million buyout they negotiated with Jefferson County, but which the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission later determined PSE had been overpaid and required them to return $52.7 million to ratepayers.
I applaud the city requesting a consultant’s report to detail the many considerations in this decision for all citizens to review and debate long before an election occurs.
The Review last week cautioned the island to “go slow.” I believe this to be poor advice. We should welcome the opportunity to consider and vote on our own Bainbridge Island power utility.
TOM GOODLIN
Toe Jam Hill
