Customers of Northwest Rural Public Power District will pay more with next month’s bill as rates go up an average of a little over 3-1/4%. Rates may vary by service class.

Northwest Rural spokesman Les Tlustos says the utility does a cost-of-service study each year to make sure the rate for each class of customer is enough to cover the actual costs of bringing them electricity, and the study for the coming year called for the 3-1/4% hike.

Tulustos says the Hay Springs-based utility is having to increase rates for two major reasons: the higher rates Northwest Rural is paying to its own power supplier…Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association…and increased costs of maintaining the electrical system.

He says the rate hike will allow Northwest Rural to maintain its financial stability while continuing to provide the quality and reliable electric service its consumers deserve and have become accustomed to.

Northwest Rural Public Power District is a not-for-profit rural electric association serving approximately 3,100 customers in Dawes, Sheridan and Cherry counties. Those customers include two Eagle Communications radio stations: Double Q Country 97.5 KQSK and B-94.7 KCNB.