Important Information for Our Members
Beginning with the bills all High West Energy members will receive in July, members will see a detailed, itemized breakdown of the cost of each step required to generate and deliver power. High West is committed to itemization in an effort to be honest and transparent about the cooperative's new billing changes.
The itemized categories members will see on the bills include:
- Power Generation Service and the Energy Production Charge: The wholesale cost that High West pays for electricity to the organizations that generate power.
- Transmission Service and the Delivery Charge: The cost required to transport power from the site of generation to High West's infrastructure.
- Local Distribution Service: The Grid Access Charge and the Delivery Charge, which is the cost to bring power through High West's infrastructure to your home, farm or business.
- Peak Capacity Charge: Under each of the above itemized categories, members will notice a "Peak Capacity Charge" that is $0. This category is part of the cooperative's long-term future billing changes, and in the interest of transparency, High West decided to include it now. Members will receive additional information prior to the Peak Capacity Charge taking effect.
Some members might have questions about the Grid Access Charge (GAC), which is a set monthly fee that enables High West to provide the poles and wire necessary to provide service. A Grid Access Charge is standard practice throughout the industry, and High West members have been paying a GAC for more than 60 years.
Beginning on June 1 (and reflected on the bills members will receive in July), the residential GAC increased from $28 to $38 a month, and other rate classes will also see GAC increases. Despite the increases, most residential members will save money overall. How? Because High West has significantly lowered the cost per kWh for the electricity.
High West Energy is committed to answering all members' questions quickly and honestly. Members can email us at RateQuestions@highwestenergy.com. Members also are encouraged to share their questions on the cooperative's Facebook and Twitter pages.
Please click on the PDF link below for all information regarding High West Energy's current rates, which went into effect on June 1, 2019, and which our members will first see reflected in the bills they receive in July 2019.
Click Here for 2019 HWE Rates