South County Journal
Anonymous
December 15, 2000
By Journal staff
RENTON — King County will dip into reserves and defer some capital projects to pay for $8 million in extra power costs at the Renton Sewage Treatment Plant.
The county originally budgeted $2.8 million for the plant's electricity bill this year. But power costs have spiked dramatically because of a widespread power shortage and the actual bill likely will be about $10.8 million.
The County Council this week decided to take $3 million from reserves in the Wastewater Fund and to defer about $5 million in capital projects.
A future sewer rate increase or surcharge is one possibility to recoup some of the extra cost, said Larry Phillips, chairman of the council's Regional Water Quality Committee.
The county provides sewage treatment for cities and local sewer districts, so increases to pay higher power bills means increases in utilities bills received by local residents.
This year's power costs are "outrageous," said Phillips.
"We have no option but to keep our sewage plants running. By law, we can't shut down a production line for a day like some other business."
But Phillips said the deregulation of the power industry will come under greater scrutiny because of what he calls price gouging.
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