BERLIN – The town’s energy charges have decreased despite rising costs across the economy.
A recent comparison provided to the town by its electric consultants shows that the town’s energy costs were less this year than last year.
“The overall cost did not go up it went down,” said Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood.
According to Fleetwood, the town in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 paid less for energy purchased than it did in the first quarter of 2021. He said that was particularly noteworthy because inflation had risen in the past year.
“The last 12 months, everything you’ve done has gone up,” he said. “This, it’s gone down .”
He said the measures the town had put in place during the last decade—particularly its work with an electric consultant, its efforts to participate in peak shaving and its relationship with wholesale energy provider PJM—were proving successful. He added that even being down a generator the town was keeping costs in check.
“We did our part to help the ratepayer,” he said.
The report Fleetwood shared with elected officials last week showed that in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, the town’s cost per kilowatt hour sold was $0.05669. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2022, that figure was $0.05479, a difference of $0.0019.
“What I found fascinating with this, over the course of the last 12 months inflation is not staying at .0019 cents,” Fleetwood told the town council.
Back in 2008, when skyrocketing electricity costs prompted town leaders to consider selling Berlin’s electric plant, the average monthly electric bill for a Berlin ratepayer was $180.61. Price comparisons completed in September of this year showed the average Berlin bill at $121.35 while the average Delmarva Power & Light bill was $157.15 and the average Choptank Electric Cooperative bill was $139.26.
“It’s being managed,” Fleetwood said. “It’s being monitored. We’re doing everything we can.”
