A rate change for Lake Country Power members was approved by the board of directors at the December 18, 2025, regular board meeting. Some changes and adjustments will go into effect on January 1, 2026, while most will happen in March.
The changes on January 1 will affect members who participate in demand side management (DSM) programs, also known as load management or Energy Wise® programs. These new energy rates are a direct pass-through for the rising costs associated with energy generation and transmission. Lake Country Power’s wholesale power costs from Great River Energy will increase by about 3% on average, with some of the DSM program rates receiving larger increases.
Effective March 1, 2026, there will be a $2/month increase to the Service Availability Charge (SAC) to residential and small business members. The new charge will change the SAC from $48/month to $50/month and is necessary to contend with escalating distribution costs including materials, maintenance, and vegetation management.
“We find ourselves in a prolonged period of rising costs that is impacting every aspect of our business, with the possible exception of fuel costs,” says Lake Country Power General Manager Mark Bakk.
Also, effective March 1, there will be an adjustment to kilowatt-hour (kWh) charges for all rate classes, excluding special rates and those previously mentioned. Overall, this rate adjustment will equate to an approximate 4% increase for residential and commercial members.
The approved general service rate is an increase of .61 cents per kWh to residential and small commercial rates. For the average co-op member consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this will result in a monthly bill increase of just over $8 ($6 for energy use, $2 for SAC) and will vary with the amount of energy used.
Additionally, Lake Country Power plans to utilize deferred revenue to help mitigate the impact of these rising costs on members.
“Lake Country Power strives to exceed our member-owners’ expectations. We continue to do what we can to balance persistent cost increases throughout our operations while providing the safe, reliable, and affordable electric services that our members deserve,” said Tracy Peterson Wirtanen, LCP chief financial officer.
See graph below for more details.