Lumbee River EMC is required by lending institutions and the USDA’s Rural Utility Services to maintain certain financial ratios, which are the performance indicators used by those institutions to measure the companies’ financial strength. “We’re going to have to do something to have more revenue to maintain the financial ratio that we have to have,” he said. White said the corporation no longer has the means to “belt tighten.” “Of course that adds to the overall cost to continue to provide services.” “Since 2014 to now, we’ve continued to add assets to the corporation,” White said. The construction of two new offices, in Pembroke and in Hoke County, and several substations also plays a role in the adjustment while giving the company key assets. Since then, there has been an 8% inflation increase in rates and the company has picked up a $23 million bill as part of Duke Energy’s coal ash cleanup bill, White said. The last rate adjustment the Lumber River EMC implemented was in 2014. So a household with a $150 bill for kilowatt usage currently would pay $159.75 under the new rate. “There’s a facilities charge of $27.65 for our residential members and that $27.65 is not impacted by the 6.5%,” White said. The rate increase will be applied to the total monthly kilowatt per hour usage but not the total bill, said Walter White, vice president of LREMC Corporate Services. You can be confident that we strive to improve the quality of life for our members and our communities while keeping electric rates as low as possible.” “I maintain my promise that Lumbee River EMC will do our best to always to make decisions with the impact to our members in mind. Too low and we could jeopardize our financial strength. If our rates are too high, then we may collect more money than necessary from our members. The utility is expected to decide on a permanent rate adjustment in a few months.ĬEO Carmen Dietrich released a statement Friday which reads in part, “Our goal is to always set our rates so that the right balance of margins is maintained - not too high and not too low. There are 18,167 customers in Robeson County. The adjusted rate will affect all 54,450 of its customers in Robeson, Scotland, Hoke and Cumberland counties. PEMBROKE - The Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation will implement a 6.5% temporary rate increase adjustment for its members effective Saturday.
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