Average monthly Flathead Electric bill to go up $1

Flathead Electric Cooperative rates will increase one percent beginning June 1 — a fraction of the amount wholesale power costs have risen, according to a news release.

The increase to Coop members includes a 50 cent bump in the monthly basic residential charge, the news release states, contributing to a 98 cent increase in the average monthly bill.

Wholesale power costs from the Bonneville Power Administration have risen by 5.4 percent, “driven primarily by escalating costs of fish and wildlife programs and declining surplus power sales due to lower market prices,” the news release states.

Flathead Electric credits steady staffing levels, reductions in worker’s compensation rates “and other operational efficiencies” for enabling its “lower than anticipated” rate increase to members.