Welcome! Thank you for your interest in learning more about WPCA - what it is and how it impacts your Sawnee EMC bill each month. Specifically, you may be searching for more information about “why” it has recently increased. Sawnee EMC is your trusted energy partner and part of that role is to let you know when the WPCA changes, as well as when we need to make impactful modifications. We don’t take any rate increase lightly and have done, and will continue to do, everything possible to minimize its impact on you, our member-owners.

Our staff has assembled this page to address any questions and offer a place for you to ask more.
 

What is the Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment (WPCA)?

This is the part of our retail rates that adjusts for changes in purchased power and other cost. The Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment (WPCA) on each member’s electric bill can be an addition or subtraction, dependent upon Sawnee’s cost for generation capacity, the fuels that are used to generate our power and other cost.

Why has the WPCA increased recently?

During 2022, the price of natural gas, a key fuel used to generate electricity for Sawnee’s members, has skyrocketed due to a variety of factors such as the natural gas shortage in Europe and Asia, the U.S. exporting liquefied natural gas, natural gas pipeline limitations and production decisions.

Is the WPCA something new?

No. The WPCA has been in effect in Sawnee’s rates for many years. It is used to “adjust” the rates charged to members when the Sawnee EMC’s cost goes up or down over time. You simply may not have noticed it previously because it has not been this level for some time.

How long will this level of cost adjustment last?

We are not sure at this time. We know that it will be at this level for the foreseeable future and until the highly volatile natural gas market settles down. No one is able to tell for sure; but rest assured, we will adjust it in accordance with our cost.  As wholesale natural gas prices come down, we fully expect the WPCA to decrease as well.

What can I do?

Conserve energy!  As crazy as it sounds… Sawnee wants you to “use less”. When you use less, our and your costs go down. Things you can do…Set your thermostat to settings recommended by Sawnee EMC’s Energy Services Team – 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter, insulate your water heater; repair leaking hot water faucets; turn off lights, etc... There are many other things you can do to conserve energy. We will be glad to send you a list of energy conservation tips and help with energy grants. We offer a bill levelization program called “budget billing” that spreads the cost of your monthly bill out over a long period of time and, when you need to wait and pay your bill late, we offer payment arrangements. Other energy saving links include:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

To aid Sawnee EMC members, our staff has developed a list of FAQs. View the FAQ document.

Questions:

Questions and comments can be directed to our Customer Call Center at 770-887-2363, text 678-999-8124, or email at customerservice@sawnee.com.

As your cooperative, we are committed to minimizing the impact of increasing power costs on your household. We are proud to be your energy provider and thank you for your patience and understanding.