BAKER CITY – Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative (OTECC) is decreasing electric rates beginning with all member billings printed after Oct. 1.

The rate reduction will reduce all electric rates by an average of 0.68 percent.

The rate reduction is reflected in the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) portion of an OTECC member’s power bill. The PCA continues to lessen, providing a rate decrease that reduces the amount of a member’s billing. The PCA was established by OTECC to reflect changes in its wholesale power costs from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).

“In keeping with the principles of a non-profit, member owned cooperative electric utility, we are able to lower our rates in response to this wholesale power cost adjustment from our wholesale power provider BPA,” said Werner Buehler, OTECC general manager.

Power Cost Adjustment is a correction or modification of a member’s monthly electric bill caused by an increase or decrease in the cost of an electric utility’s wholesale power supply. This adjustment eliminates the need for a new retail rate approval each time wholesale power costs change.

The last time OTECC adjusted rates was in January of 2006 when it reduced rates by 16 percent across the board.