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Elmer City residents will see a 2-percent increase in their power bills as a result of an increase in electric costs from Nespelem Valley Electric, town council members learned last Thursday.

The town was advised by NVE that its power rates would go from $0.07 per kilowatt hour to $0.0714 per kilowatt hour, the result of an increase from its supplier, Bonneville Power Administration.

It was estimated that the increase to Elmer City residents would be about $22 a year.

Dan Simpson, general manager of Nespelem Valley Electric, said in a letter to Elmer City officials: “The board and I are very concerned about the increased cost of power and the affect it has on the membership.”

The 2-percent increase went into effect April 1.

“The cooperative has tried to absorb as much of this cost increase as possible,” Simpson went on to say. “However, in order to maintain member equity, the Cooperative cannot absorb the increased cost of power.”