Seattle electric bills rising—here's why

Seattle residents can expect a small but steady increase in their electricity costs starting in 2027.

Seattle City Light announced that rates will go up by 0.5% each year through 2032 to fund a new environmental and tribal restoration project along the Skagit River. The nearly $1 billion plan marks a shift for the city, which previously argued against installing fish passage systems at its three hydroelectric dams.

The dams—Ross, Diablo, and Gorge—provide about 20% of Seattle’s power. As part of a new 50-year federal license to keep operating them, the city has agreed to a “trap and haul” program. This involves building a collection facility at Ross Lake and using a new roadway to truck young salmon downstream past the dams so they can reach the ocean.

Repairing relationships and restoring runs

According to KING 5, for decades, local tribes including the Upper Skagit and Sauk-Suiattle have argued that the dam system destroyed the fish runs they rely on for their way of life. Seattle City Light’s new plan includes $350 million in payments to three tribes to address the long-term impacts the dams have had on their lands and culture.

Scott Schuyler, a tribal elder for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, expressed relief at the agreement, noting that his people have paid a steep price for a project built on their sacred ancestral home.

Mayor Katie Wilson called the settlement a huge milestone that shows the city is committed to renewable energy while also respecting tribal sovereignty. The deal comes after years of tension and investigations into the utility’s environmental claims.

While City Light scientists previously suggested the dams didn’t harm fish, other state and federal agencies disagreed. Eventually, the utility invested $25 million into new research that led to this current restoration strategy.

The high price of hydroelectric power

The total cost of the 50-year agreement is substantial. Beyond the $979 million for fish passage and the tribal payments, the city is committing $1.8 billion to upgrade the dams themselves. Hundreds of millions more will go toward restoring salmon habitats in the Skagit River, the local estuary, and the North Cascades.

City officials say these investments are necessary to balance the need for clean energy with the legal and moral obligation to protect the river’s ecosystem.

Although the yearly 0.5% increase is small, it means Seattle families will pay for the work to fix the river’s ecosystem and honor tribal agreements for years to come.

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