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I understand that the price of electricity is one of the biggest issues facing us as a cooperative. I think we have done a good job over the past several years in keeping our rates as low as we can. I you recall, several months ago, I wrote an OPALCOGRAM that compared our rates to the rates of Puget Power. That OPALCOGRAM showed that Puget rates are still far below ours, but their rates are increasing far more rapidly than ours are, and I think it is within our ability to actually get our rates below theirs. It is not going to happen in 1996 and probably won't happen in 1997, but there will come a time when our rates are better than our neighboring competitors. Over the next few years (probably too soon for most utilities), people in Washington are going to be able to choose who they buy electricity from, much like we can now choose our long distance carrier. If OPALCO is to survive in the future, we have to be your utility of choice. We will accomplish this by providing high quality service that will improve our value to our members. Rates are a major portion of the decision you will someday be able to make, but quality of service is also important, as is our commitment to San Juan County. PTI has closed their customer services in San Juan County. Pacific Light and Power is closing their customer services offices all over the Northwest. Isn't there a value to deal with real people rather than a voice on the phone? We also realize that in the future, our members are going to want more choices in the products they buy from us. In the future, you will hear about an offer of "green power", where our members, for a slight premium, will be able to buy power made from resources other than nuclear plants or the Columbia River hydrosystem. In the future, we expect our members to be more knowledgeable shoppers who will want electric rates tailored to their needs. For example, Snohomish County P.U.D. currently has a test program available where their customers can reduce their load in either the morning or the evening in return for a lower electric bill. Snohomish calls these rate classes "morning savers" and "evening savers". We currently offer the equivalent of a morning saver rate and in the future, we will be looking at other alternatives. As 1996 goes on, we are going to spend many more OPALCOGRAMS discussing the Member Relations strategic objective and what we are accomplishing. Don't forget to exercise your right as a member and attend our 59th Annual Meeting, which will be held aboard a Washington State Ferry on Saturday, April 27, 1996.
Doug Bechtel
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