About 137,000 customers will pay more in their monthly electric bills beginning Jan. 1 following recent state approval of PacifiCorp’s latest rate increase request. 

The state Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a power cost-only general rate increase of $33.9 million, or about 7.9% above its current revenue level, on Dec. 22 for the Portland-based electric utility, according to a release.  

For a home using 1,200 kilowatt-hours per month, that will raise the average monthly power bill by more than $10, according to the Yakima-Herald Republic. 

PacifiCorp, which is owned by Iowa-based Berkshire Hathaway Energy, serves customers in Kittitas, Yakima and Benton counties and those east of the Columbia River in Columbia, Walla Walla and Garfield counties. 

The utility’s customers raised concerns about how recent rate increases had affected them at a December hearing, noting they were creating a financial burden on ratepayers.  

However, UTC officials found PacifiCorp’s rate increase, revised from an initial proposal filed in April, to be equitable and reasonable and will reduce costs for Washington customers by about $68 million versus the status quo. The commission also determined that PacifiCorp’s plan will better facilitate meeting state clean energy requirements, including the removal of coal from Washington power rates. 

The UTC said in a statement it recognized these concerns and stated that it will work to lessen rate impacts and avoid larger increases in the future.