After spending $35,000 on a cost-of-service study that suggested several options regarding rate changes, Washington’s City Council unanimously voted to keep the city’s electric rates at their current levels.

Two options suggested by the study, conducted by Booth & Associates, would have lowered lower electric rates for most of the city’s power customers. The study also recommended increasing some fees, including facilities charges, related to providing electric service. The study was presented to the council at its Oct. 19 meeting.

The study recommended the option that would reduce overall electric rates (per kilowatt hour) by 5.64 percent, with residential customers receiving a 2.52 percent reduction. Under that option, some customers — those who use less than 868 kilowatts per month (system average) — would pay slightly more for power.

Electric rates for residential customers, churches and small general service customers were reduced by 6 percent as of Aug. 1.

The study, along with a load-management study that’s being conducted, will be used by the city as it considers any rate changes, if any, during the next several years.

At the council’s Oct. 19 meeting, Mayor Mac Hodges asked Booth & Associates spokesman Terry Brege how long the city likely could hold off raising rates if the study’s rate and fees recommendations are adopted and implemented in the face of expected increases how much the city pays the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency for electricity in the future.

“The rates we’re proposing here should hold the city until April 1^st of 2018, when they’re (NCEMPA) looking at another 3-percent increase,” Brege replied.

Brege how long the city likely could hold off raising rates if the study’s rate and fees recommendations are adopted and implemented in the face of expected increases how much the city pays the N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency for electricity in the future.

“The rates we’re proposing here should hold the city until April 1^st of 2018, when they’re (NCEMPA) looking at another 3-percent increase,” Brege replied.