DPL agrees to limited rate increases until 2012 - Phoenix Business Journal:

hundleyobajoji1908.blogspot.com
The state, along with DP&L and the came to an agreemenft this week following a proposap submitted backin DP&L, which is a unit of (NYSE: DPL), will have its base distributiomn rates frozen through 2012. Under the agreement, the local poweer company will continue its current rate plan until 2012 and add energyu efficiency and renewable energy to its electric The programs will work to provide residential customerws with tools to lowertheir “We are pleased that the PUCO has formallgy approved our ESP agreement as developed and supported by a diverse group of customer representatives,” said Paul Barbas, DPL president and chiegf executive officer, in a news release.
As the resulft of the settlement, and previously approvec environmentalcost recovery, DP&L said residential customers with an averagee use of 750 kWh per mont h will experience an approximate 1.8 percent increass in 2009, 2.7 percent increase in 2010, a slight decreaser in 2011, and less than a 1 percenft increase in 2012. The Ohio Consumer’d Counsel said it was pleased with theapproved settlement.
“Witu a continuing recession and household budgetsstretchede thin, the approval of the rate plan agreement puts into placw limits to rate increases, provides energy efficiency measurezs and helps ensure that DP&L will do its fair share to supporgt and utilize renewable energy resources,” said Janine of the consumers’ counsel. DP&L also said it would develop an advanced metering infrastructure and smart grid proposalby 1. The (PUCO) will review DP&L’sz plans in the fourth quarterof 2009.
If smart grid improvements woulc provide better electric service reliabilit y and give customers the option to managwe their usage based upon the price of electricity at differenf times ofthe day. The original smart grid proposalfrom DP&LL more than doubled the typical coste of these improvements and failed to incorporate hundreds of millions of dollars in customer benefits that help offset these • An energy efficiency work group to develolp and implement energy efficiency programes for customers.
Such programs would include rebates for purchasing Energy Star appliances and discounta forweatherizing homes; and Development of a renewable energyy certificate program that would pay residential consumers a fee for customer-sited renewable energy, such as solar panel or wind turbines.