Lehighton has approved a new electric service agreement.

Borough council recently approved the 2026-27 Allegheny Electric Cooperative Electric Service agreement.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire noted that as a public power provider, the borough is entitled to purchase a portion of its electricity from the New York Power Authority’s hydroelectric generation pool.

While it remains a very small percentage of the electricity Lehighton purchases for its residents, DeWire said the borough is required to maintain a contract with Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc.

He noted that Allegheny is the bargaining agent for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for all activities associated with allocating hydroelectric power from NYPA.

DeWire said the agreement runs from April 1, 2026, through April 2032, with $4,400 increases in services each year for the remainder of the contract.

After the meeting, DeWire explained the reason for the increase.

“While this sounds like a large spike, the power purchased from NYPA will remain about one-third of the cost of the power purchased through AMP-Ohio or less,” he said. “This increase is just another example of the increases that U.S. citizens are seeing on their electric bills.”

Councilmen Joe Flickinger and Grant Hunsicker were absent.