Clark Public Utilities avoided a budget shortfall this year and will keep power rates steady next year with some help from the Climate Commitment Act.

On Tuesday morning, the utility’s board of commissioners unanimously approved separate budgets of $500 million for the electric system, $95 million for the generating system and $41 million for the water system.

The utility budgeted $500 million in expenses for its electric system, with slight increases in the areas of operations and maintenance, as well as conservation programs.

The utility expects to bring in $502.5 million in revenue for the electric system, a surplus of $2.5 million. About $1.25 million is from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act auctions intended to offset the state program’s costs for consumers and utilities. The ut

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