By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – The utility says the cost of power for the average residential customer will climb about nine dollars, 50 cents a month. That's an 11-point-5 percent increase. The latest increase will add about a dollar, four cents for a residential customer using a thousand kilowatt hours a month. A spokesman says the increase will offset the cost of upgrading pollution control equipment to comply with new federal standards. Last week, the PSC approved a near six-dollar increase to compensate for higher natural gas and coal prices and a two dollar-48 cent fee was added to recover costs for hurricane repairs. The company's regulatory agreement does not require the PSC to vote on the latest increase, which goes into effect in January. Alabama power serves about one-point-four million customers in the state.