Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday voted to deny Oncor Electric Delivery’s proposed rate increases because they are excessive. Council resolved that Oncor continue to charge its existing rates to customers in Fort Worth and asked that reasonable expenses related to the rate case be reimbursed to the City.
Background: In late June of this year, Oncor filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas seeking to increase systemwide transmission and distribution rates for Fort Worth and other cities. Oncor’s application requested new rates that would produce an estimated $834 million in additional revenue per year systemwide, representing a 13% increase over present revenues, with a 12.3% increase in residential rates and a 51% increase in street lighting rates. Fort Worth is part of the Steering Committee of Cities Served by Oncor, which was authorized to hire legal counsel and consultants, negotiate with the company, make recommendations to the City regarding reasonable rates, and direct any administrative proceedings or litigation associated with the rate adjustments. If the City had taken no action, the new rates would have automatically taken effect.
