Seattle, WA — Seattle City Light has announced previously approved electricity rate increases that will take effect on January 1, 2026, as part of its long-term financial and service planning. The average rate increase for customers will be 5.4%, a change first approved under the utility’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan adopted by the Seattle City Council in fall 2024.
What Customers Can Expect
Residential customers are expected to see an increase of about $4 per month on their electricity bills. Customers enrolled in the Utility Discount Program will see a smaller increase of approximately $2 per month.
Business customers can expect bill increases ranging between 4% and 7%, depending on their customer class and energy usage patterns.
As a publicly owned, not-for-profit utility, Seattle City Light says the rate adjustments are designed to support long-term reliability, infrastructure investment, and community service needs.
How Rates Are Set
The 2025–2026 rate increases were developed through Seattle City Light’s long-term strategic planning process and reviewed by the City Light Review Panel, a group made up of customer representatives and utility experts. The panel advises the utility on financial planning and rate structures.
City Light also conducts a cost-of-service analysis, which determines how different customer classes are affected by rate changes. This process helps ensure that each customer group pays a fair share based on system usage and service needs.
Changes to Basic Service Charge
All City Light customers pay a fixed monthly basic service charge, which covers costs such as metering, billing, customer support, and essential services. In 2026, this service charge will also increase to better reflect the actual costs of providing these services, regardless of how much electricity a customer uses.
City Light encourages customers to review upcoming rate changes and explore available assistance programs, including the Utility Discount Program, to help manage future utility costs.
2026 Rate Increases by Class
