Concerns grow about BLW’s proposed increase in utilities

• BWL proposed an increase in utilities for 2024 and 2025.
• If approved, the increases will go into effect on October 1st.
• Watch video above to see what people in our neighborhoods had to say during a special BWL Board meeting.

Drama was at the podium Tuesday evening, as dozens of BWL customers expressed their concerns about the proposed increase in utilities.

“It’s coming to the point to where I’m like do I pay my mortgage, or do I pay to keep my lights on for my kids,” one resident expressed.

You may remember last week, we did a story on BWL’s proposed utility increases for 2024 and 2025. For electric, it would be about a 6% increase. For water it would be about a 9% increase, for steam it would be a 9.7% increase and for chilled water, it would be about a 2 percent increase.

“The rate increases are too high at one time per month,” said resident Elizabeth Gibson.

If approved, in the first year of the increases, BWL will gain about $26 million in revenue, money that BWL’s Chief Financial officer Heather Shawa said will be used to keep up with inflation and to cover the cost for a 10 year green energy plan.

While most residents expressed they support clean energy, a lot of them aren’t trusting that an increase utilities is needed to reach that goal, which is why they’re calling on the BWL’S Board of Commissioners to look outside the company.

“We urge the board of commissioners to hire an independent expert to look into the increases and make sure they align with these standards Michigan set for clean energy,” one resident said.

BWL’s Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the utility increases on august 27th and if approved, customers will start seining changes in their bills on October 1st.