Customers could see a 5.4% rate increase in 2025 and 2026, which equates to about an extra $5 per month or $10 per bi-monthly billing cycle for the typical Seattle City Light customer.The rate hike is part of the utility department's updated 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which was presented to the Seattle City Council’s Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture Committee on July 15.
It's believed that new power resources will be needed to deal with the average load over the next few years. The meeting also went over the depletion of Seattle Light's cash reserves, higher labor costs, and how new clean energy policies are affecting the utility marketplace.Seattle Light says the rate increases will vary from the 5.4% average depending on customer classes and their owed charges.This follows other regional utility companies that have planned rate increases for 2025.