Monthly fuel costs this month are down 5 percent from October, saving customers between $3.50 and $7 on their bills, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The drop in the monthly fuel cost adjustment charge, which is passed along to TVA utilities like Columbus Light & Water and 4-County Electric Power Association, is the largest percentage decrease in 2010.
But even with the decrease, the fuel cost has increased 2.7 percent from June, according to TVA”s website.
CL&W Manager Todd Gale said he is telling Columbus residents and businesses to conservatively plan for a 10 percent overall increase on their monthly bills over the next year based on a 12-month TVA forecast.
The forecast, according to sources, shows the fuel cost will go down in the winter and back up in the summer.
4-County spokesman Jon Turner said he could not release details about projections, but that the numbers were unreliable and were not nearly as high as 10 percent.
TVA spokesman Mike Bradley confirmed the existence of internal fuel cost projections, but declined to release further details.
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