City Residents to See Changes in Bluebonnet Electric Bills

Co-op changes the way in which city franchise fees are billed

January 3, 2006

(GIDDINGS, TEXAS) Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative members who live in the city limits of a number of area municipalities will see a new line item on their bills this month. The cooperative has made a change in the way franchise fees are collected from its members.

Nineteen cities in the Bluebonnet service area charge the cooperative a franchise fee to provide electric service to members who live within the city limits. Previously, Bluebonnet charged all of its members a portion of these fees and then paid the cities accordingly. Beginning in January, only those members who live within the city limits that charge a franchise fee will be billed for that fee.

“This is a direct pass through charged by the cities,” said Mark Rose, general manager/CEO of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative. “We decided to make this change out of fairness to the 90% of our members who don’t live within any city limits.”

Members will see a new line item on their bills that states: “Franchise Fee – City” (whichever city they live in). Most cities in the service area charge Bluebonnet 2 or 3 %, so for a member whose bill is $100 they will see an additional fee of 2 or 3 dollars on their bill.

Members that live in the following cities will be affected by this change:
Austin Bastrop
Brenham Burton
Carmine Elgin
Fayetteville Giddings
Industry Lexington
Luling Manor
Martindale Mustang Ridge
Niederwald San Marcos
Smithville Uhland
Webberville