Dixie Electric Membership Corp. to Raise Rates

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The 100,000 or so customers of Dixie Electric Membership Corp. can expect monthly electric bills increase more than 4 percent starting April 1 for a year.

But then they will start receiving refunds for a year.

The Advocate reports the unusual proposal approved by the state Public Service Commission is aimed at moderating an expected jump customers will see in their monthly bills beginning in April 2014.

John Vranic, chief operating officer for the power company better known as DEMCO, said the move is designed to minimize overall impact on customers.

Vranic said DEMCO is nearing the end of a decade-long contract that locked in the price of power and kept bills low. None of the power suppliers vying for a new contract would duplicate those terms, he said.