For more information contact: Email:

Mark Nixon : 517-702-6735 MDN@LBWL.COM

BWL proposes reduced service charge to senior citizens

The Lansing Board of Water & Light is proposing to reduce by $2 the monthly service charge to senior citizens using BWL electricity under its Senior Citizen Rate.

The BWL's governing Board of Commissioners has set a public hearing date of May 22 to receive public input on the proposed rate restructuring.

“We recognize that the proposed $2 reduction will provide a bigger discount for our senior citizen customers than our current Senior Citizen Rate,” said BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark. “Our intent is to assist low-come senior citizens with a monthly reduction in their electric bills.

“A $2 monthly reduction may not sound like a lot to some people, but we believe it will mean a significant savings to seniors living on fixed, low incomes,” Lark said.

For an average senior citizen being billed on the BWL's Senior Citizen Rate, the $2 reduction would amount to an average 9 percent reduction in his or her monthly electric bill. That would be in addition to an average 20 percent lower bill that seniors currently experience on the Senior Citizen Rate, as compared to the standard rate for residential customers.

If approved, the service charge reduction would be available to all seniors age 65 and older. However, seniors using more than 620 kilowatt hours of electricity a month would be better off using the standard rate for residential customers. Presently, the average senior citizen customer being billed under the Senior Citizen Rate uses 320 kilowatt hours a month.

“We want to give a break to those seniors who use modest amounts of electricity and who are most financially vulnerable,” Lark said.

Commissioners set the public hearing on the service charge reduction for 5:30 p.m. Thursday May 22 at the BWL offices, 1232 Haco Drive , Lansing.

 

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