Peninsula Light Company will implement a 4% adjustment to the energy rate and a $4 adjustment to the monthly base charge, effective April 2026. Members can expect an average of $7 increase on their monthly electricity bills.
Like other utilities across the nation, PenLight is experiencing extraordinary increases in the cost of materials, equipment, labor, and system maintenance. Nationally, infrastructure costs have increased since 2020, many of which directly impact the electric utility sector:
- Transformers–up 70% to 100%
- Conductors and wire–up 30% to 50%
- Utility poles, crossarms, and composite materials–up 25% to 40%
- Metering equipment–up 20% to 35%
- Fuel, fleet, and logistics–up 20% to 60%
- Hydropower components, battery storage, and SCADA/EMS systems– up 20% to 40%
These cost pressures impact every construction, maintenance, and upgrade project required to keep PenLight’s system safe, reliable, and resilient. The price of materials alone–poles, transformers, substations, meters, and wire–has more than doubled in some categories. Freight, labor shortages, and long lead times add additional layers of cost and complexity.
The April 2026 adjustment ensures PenLight can:
- Continue replacing and strengthening critical infrastructure.
- Support increasing growth and demand on our electric system.
- Fund grid improvements and modernization investments.
- Maintain safety, vegetation management, and system reliability programs.
- Prepare for future load growth and grid resiliency needs.
Even with this adjustment, PenLight rates remain on the lower end compared with neighboring utilities, thanks to our nonprofit structure, at-cost power supply, and disciplined financial planning.
