Electric rate increase and rate stabilization borrowing
Bowling Green
Summary
The city will borrow up to $7.4 million from American Municipal Power to stabilize electric rates and meet debt coverage requirements while phasing in its rate study recommendations — aimed at lower, more predictable bill increases.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 8
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 21, 2026.
Impact analysis
Up to $7.4 million borrowed, repaid from electric system revenues, intended to soften future rate hikes.
All customers of the city electric system, through more stable monthly bills.
Utility customers pay higher electric bills, especially after cold-weather demand spikes like Winter Storm Fern.
Mentions & discussions (9)
City Council (Regular) - Sep 21, 2026
The city will borrow up to $7.4 million from American Municipal Power to stabilize electric rates and meet debt coverage requirements while phasing in its rate study recommendations — aimed at lower, more predictable bill increases.
City Council (Regular) - Jul 6, 2026
Council cleared the way to ask voters to renew and increase the parks and recreation levy at 2.95 mills. This is the funding that keeps city parks and rec programs running, and voters will get the final say.
City Council (Regular) - Jun 15, 2026
Two resolutions moving the 2.95-mill parks levy renewal-with-increase toward the November ballot got their second readings. If voters approve it, the levy keeps funding parks programming — the summer camps, concerts and pool programs the mayor highlighted.
Board of Public Utilities - Jun 8, 2026
The city's opt-out natural gas aggregation program locked in new pricing at $0.636 per CCF for two years starting December 2026 — up from $0.575. Columbia Gas customers are auto-enrolled unless they opt out, but anyone can leave penalty-free.
Board of Public Utilities - May 11, 2026
The board approved the new electric rate schedules and authorized the rate stabilization agreement that will support borrowing of roughly $5.5–7 million to keep the utility's debt coverage ratio healthy. The final borrowing amount will be determined closer to fall 2026, and the goal is to pay it off early.
Board of Public Utilities - Apr 27, 2026
To avoid a 15-20% immediate rate increase, the plan proposes borrowing $6.9 million in 2026 and $500,000 in 2027 from AMP's rate stabilization program, repaid by 2031 at ~4.6% interest. The final decision isn't needed until the end of 2026.
Board of Public Utilities - Mar 23, 2026
Electric bills are climbing — the January bill jumped from $4.8 million to $5.2 million year over year, driven mostly by PJM capacity auction prices that more than doubled. Next year's auction will be even higher, so costs aren't coming down soon.
City Council (Regular) - Mar 16, 2026
High winds kept Public Works and Electric crews busy over the weekend, but outages stayed minimal — city leaders credited tree trimming and system maintenance.
Bowling Green voters approve income tax increase to fund 2 new fire stations
Bowling Green voters approve income tax increase to fund 2 new fire stations WTOL
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