PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson Public Utility District board of commissioners approved a resolution that halts a planned rate increase for the schools.

The rate increase is a yearly increase; however, the public utility district (PUD) is putting together a request for quotes (RFQ) to conduct a cost-of-service study on all electrical rates, so commissioners decided to delay the increase until the new rates are known.

“The resolution is a short-term solution,” said general manager Kevin Streett at the Tuesday night meeting. “The solution for long-term will come after the rate study.”

The PUD aims to avoid charging school districts at commercial business rates, said Dan Toepper, commission president.

The rate increase was scheduled for March 1, due to the rate increase schedule set in a resolution in 2016, and updated in 2018, the resolution said.

Not increasing the rates will not affect the PUD’s budget or customer’s rates, Streett said.

Staff plans to hopefully have the RFQ ready by next week, so they can wait for the bids and then start the study in the upcoming months, Streett said.

The resolution can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/PDN-PUDschoolrate.

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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.