{"id":445,"date":"2026-08-04T19:43:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T00:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterseguin.org\/?p=445"},"modified":"2026-08-23T15:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T20:34:36","slug":"seguin-city-council-changes-to-electric-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterseguin.org\/index.php\/seguin-city-council-changes-to-electric-rates\/news\/","title":{"rendered":"Seguin City Council to Consider Changes to Electric Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Seguin residents may want to keep a close eye on Tuesday’s City Council<\/a> meeting, where Councilmembers are scheduled to consider changes to the City’s electric utility rate structure<\/strong>, including potential adjustments to electric rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The August 4 agenda <\/a>includes an ordinance on first reading amending the City’s electric rate schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For households already dealing with higher costs for groceries, housing, insurance and other necessities, changes to utility rates matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric service is also an essential City operation. Seguin must maintain a reliable system, purchase power, maintain infrastructure, prepare for growth and ensure that the utility remains financially sustainable, particularly in light of the ongoing discussions about electric rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenge for Council is balancing those needs with affordability for residents and businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What Residents Should Look For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When utility rates are changed, the percentage increase alone does not always tell the entire story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents should look at several components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monthly customer charge:<\/strong> Is the fixed amount customers pay each month changing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Energy charge:<\/strong> Is the amount charged per kilowatt-hour changing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average residential bill:<\/strong> What will a household using typical amounts of electricity actually pay each month?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commercial and industrial rates:<\/strong> Are different classes of customers being affected differently?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Future increases:<\/strong> Is Tuesday’s proposal a single adjustment or part of a multi-year rate plan?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those numbers provide a much clearer picture than simply saying that an electric rate was “adjusted.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growth Has a Cost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seguin continues to experience substantial residential, commercial and industrial growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That growth creates additional customers for the electric utility, but it can also require investments in substations, distribution lines, transformers, equipment and other infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proper planning means making sure new growth contributes appropriately toward infrastructure instead of allowing existing ratepayers to shoulder an unreasonable portion of expansion costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the City must maintain and replace aging infrastructure serving existing neighborhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are legitimate expenses, but residents deserve to know where their utility dollars are going.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Reliability Must Remain a Priority<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Affordable electricity is important, but so is reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extreme Texas heat places significant demands on the electric system. Businesses and residents increasingly depend on reliable power for air conditioning, communications, medical equipment and everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seguin’s electric utility therefore needs sufficient revenue to operate and maintain a reliable system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key is transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If rates need to increase, residents should be given a clear explanation showing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n