2013 Rates and Coop Connections Program

Following our Rate Consultant's and staff's recommendation, the Board of Directors approved the new rates for 2013. The new rates reflect our increase from our power supplier Tri-State only. High Plains Power is not requiring any additional revenue requirement increase. The overall increase is 10.98%, and can be broken down into two categories. The first is the new rate structure that Tri-State is implementing. This new "all energy rate" accounts for 6% of the increase. The other 4.98% is for their additional revenue needed to operate the company. High Plains and other Cooperatives fought this new structure for almost two years before it finally passed the end of last year by a vote of 29 for, 10 against, and 5 non-voting, with the High Plains Power Board Representative voting against it. The five (5) non-voters were unable to attend because of a winter storm at the time. Not every rate class will a 10.98% increase. Our rate consultant, C.H. Guernsey did a Cost of Service Study to see how the increase needed to be distributed. Unfortunately the Time of Use, or the member/owners that use the ETS units to heat their homes, are the ones seeing the largest increase. If you are on the ETS Rate, you should have already received a letter from us explaining the new rate. If you haven't, please let me know so that we can get a copy to you. Following are the new rates for our Residential and ETS member/owners:

The On-Peak/Off-Peak months and times will stay the same.

Since we are a month behind in our billing, these new rates will be reflected in your February billing.

Co-op Connections Program

Watch in February or March for the launching of the Co-op Connections program. This new card-based member benefit program is designed to deliver added value to our members, by offering valuable discounts at participating local and national businesses. AND IT'S FREE!

Whenever a Co-op Connections cardholder, whether from High Plains Power or from one of the hundreds of Touchstone Energy cooperatives across the country - shows the Connections card at a participating business, they receive a discount. Equally, those businesses benefit from increased customer visits by cooperative members participating in the program.

High Plains Power members will receive the Co-op Connections cards in the mail the first part of 2013. Watch your bills as they will be included with your billing statement. Those of you with e-bills will have the cards mailed to you in a separate mailing. Don't worry if you should happen to lose or discard your card, we will have plenty on hand to replace your cards.