The TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant is photographed on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, near Spring City, Tenn., as Unit 2 begins producing electricity for the first time, 43 years after construction began at the site. TVA fuel cost raise July electricity rates
Electricity users in the Tennessee Valley will be feeling a bit more heat in their wallet next month.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is raising its monthly fuel cost adjustment Friday in response to higher demand and higher power peaks that require the federal utility to turn to more costly power sources.
For the average EPB customer using 1,461 kilowatthours in a month, July bills will be 3.6 percent higher than in June, rising to $157.39. Power rates are still below their average for the past three years and will be only 1.2 percent above what they were a year ago, even with base rate increases in the past year by both TVA and EPB.
“As demand goes up during the summer, so does the cost to meet peak usage,” TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said. “