The Electric Power Board unanimously approved a 3.5 percent rate hike for residential customers at its meeting Friday morning.
The rate increase, which starts July 1, will raise the typical residential customer's bill by $5.70.
EPB officials say the rate hike is needed because winter and summer storms are getting worse, driving up costs, and because the Tennessee Valley Authority charges more for the peak demand electricity that TVA sells to EPB.
Read more in tomorrow's Times Free Press.