It’s a small reduction, but a reduction nonetheless.

With the City Council approving the budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, all residential customers of Washington Electric Utilities will see a 1-percent reduction in their electric rates. Some folks will say that’s not much of a reduction, but as other folks say, every little bit helps.

Speaking of every little bit helping, wise use of electricity will help reduce not only residents’ electric bills but the city’s electric bill, too. The city buys the power it sells to WEU customers. In case any doubt remains, we are talking conservation here.

The city should continue to add WEU customers to that program. The customers and the city will benefit from lower power bills.

During budget talks in May 2010, WEU Director Keith Hardt said having all qualified WEU customers participating in the load-management program would save the city — and its qualified power customers — about $1.3 million a year. That alone is a good enough reason for WEU customers to participate in WEU’s load-management program.