DWP customers should pay more

Re “Electric utilities waging a power struggle,” April 20

It is fair for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers to pay more for electricity. For years, its rates have been artificially low because of the DWP’s purchase of cheap, dirty coal power.

While people living downwind from the out-of-state coal plants are paying the cost with their health, DWP customers pay a low flat rate, which does nothing to discourage waste.

The private utilities have tiered rates, with the highest ones just more than 30 cents a kilowatt hour.

This market approach is the direction DWP should take in implementing the rate increases it will inevitably have to charge. Rather than across-the-board increases, the DWP should charge a low rate for the first 300 to 500 kilowatt hours a month with steep increases for usage above that. Anyone using more energy should be willing to pay the full cost of the power.

Paul Scott

Santa Monica

One way to keep the rates down: The DWP should stop sending out glossy brochures with customer bills and those annual reports. How many trees have to die for this exercise? We want water and power, and nobody is interested in looking at smiling executives in hard hats. The brochures go straight into the trash. It’s a shameful waste.

Another question: Why does the DWP accept checks but not credit card or bank account deductions? If the gas company can do it, why can’t the DWP?

Karin Howard

Los Angeles