After holding electric rates steady for three years, the city of Trenton reports rates will increase beginning with the power used in October. This increase will be reflected in the bills Trenton Municipal customers receive in early November.
By a narrow margin (4 to 3) at the August 12 meeting, the Trenton City Council voted to raise electric rates by ten and a half percent, spread over four years to ease the impact on customers. This applies to TMU residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as security lighting. Trenton Municipal shared rate information this month in utility bills received by customers.
Starting this fall, there will be a 2.7% increase in electric rates. For next year and the following year, the increase will be 2.6%. In the final year of the phased increase, rates will rise by 2.5% for the 2027-28 period.
As of November, the base rate for a residential electric meter will be $18.25, while the commercial base rate will be $25.75. These base rates will increase by 25 cents each year through 2027-28. With the increase, the residential customer cost will be 10.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, and the commercial customer rate will be 10.2 cents per kilowatt-hour.
TMU reports that the raises help to offset increasing operational costs, including the purchase of power, fuel, materials, equipment, and the cost of maintaining experienced personnel. The rate increases are also expected to allow TMU to maintain and upgrade the electric system as needed.
