Two seats up, two directors looking to retain theirs, and one newcomer. In a year where affordability feels like a carrot on a stick, electricity and water rates at the Truckee Donner Public Utility District are a natural point of interest. Incumbents Christa Finn (first elected in 2018) and Tony Laliotis (2010), and local newcomer Chris Hawkins (a mechanical engineer by trade), share their thoughts on cost, capital improvement projects with wildfire in mind, and where the line is when figuring out more sustainable energy and its cost.
Candidates were limited to 125-word responses per question. Answers have been lightly edited for style and clarity. The order is alphabetical and then rotates.
1. TDPUD has adopted an annual water rate increase of 6.5% through 2030. Moonshine Ink’s review of several residential water bills from August 2025 and August 2026 found a recurring pattern: water use was substantially lower, while the total bill declined only modestly, or not at all. What information should the district provide so customers can understand how the rate structure affects bills at different levels of water use — and whether it provides a meaningful incentive to conserve?
Finn: It is important for ratepayers to know that we are 100% rate funded, our rates are required by law to be based on the actual cost of service and that we have to maintain the entire water delivery system, from well to tank to your sink, whether your daily use is 1 gallon of water or 100. Essentially, it is not the water you are paying for, it is the delivery. It is possible you could hit a billing floor, beyond which using less water will not benefit you financially, only morally and karmic-ly. We live in this gorgeous place with some of the purest water in the world delivered to your home for around $4/day. A Rates 101 campaign is in the works.
Hawkins: TDPUD should clearly explain how fixed and usage-based charges affect bills at different levels of water use, including whether customers see meaningful savings when they conserve. Customers should also be able to easily understand what their payments fund. As the PUD pursues capital improvements to strengthen critical infrastructure against wildfire, prepare for changing climate patterns, and develop renewable alternatives, the district should explain why each investment is necessary and how it supports long-term resilience.
TDPUD should also show how its current and projected rates compare with those of larger utility providers across the state. This context can help customers evaluate proposed increases while recognizing the PUD’s record of maintaining competitive rates.
Laliotis: As a publicly owned, not-for-profit utility, our revenue from rates must match our projected cost of service, which includes capital investment. Therefore, rates must keep up with basic inflation as well as construction inflation. Through a Proposition 218 public process, I believe we have adopted equitable rates through a transparent process that are competitive with other local water providers. We do offer robust conservation programs for our customers, such as the upcoming turf buyback program.
So, I do believe customers can lower their month-to-month bills by using less. The webpage tdpud.org/water-rates provides detailed information to assist customers in better understanding their water rate structure and answers many other questions. Please review the entire page and all FAQs, as they are comprehensive.
2. How should TDPUD weigh projects that improve reliability or wildfire resilience against projects that expand capacity for future growth?
Laliotis: One of our current board-adopted strategic initiatives is service reliability and safety. These are our basic priorities when weighing and implementing capital projects. Our top priorities for water will always be implementing projects that improve system reliability, reduce water system loss, and increase capacity and storage for fire hydrant flows. For electric, our top priorities are improving system reliability, reducing the risk of starting wildfires, and increasing system resilience against wildfires. During my time on the board, the district’s philosophy has been “growth pays for growth.” We are not a planning agency, so when entitled projects come to us, we must evaluate the utility impact of each project and determine the appropriate financial and infrastructure commitments needed from the developer before proceeding.
Finn: I don’t believe we weigh them against each other, as these are complementary, not contradictory, goals. For example, rebuilding an outdated substation improves our reliability and increases our safety and wildfire resilience while allowing us to increase our distribution capacity to meet future electric demand growth. Increasing our tank storage capacity makes us more wildfire safe and allows for residential growth. We look at every project with an eye toward accomplishing the most good across all of our strategic metrics. The choice is not zero sum. We do not have to sacrifice safety, reliability, or our environment to meet the demands of the future. Indeed, we must not.
Hawkins: TDPUD should prioritize reliability and wildfire resilience as a means to protect the existing community and adapt to current climate conditions. Capacity projects for future growth should not take priority over essential safety and reliability investments.
Planned growth should be supported by transparent, coordinated infrastructure planning and should not come at the expense of existing community members. Future development should fund the capacity it requires. Public agencies should coordinate so that capital improvements align with adopted plans.
3. Based on an early September PUD customer satisfaction survey, 74% of respondents supported pursuance of local carbon-free energy generation as alternative sources of energy (including solar, biomass energy, and battery storage). Such a move would, among multiple, increase community control over energy resources and improve overall system reliability. That said, 51% of respondents opposed such energy generation if it raised rates. What do you see as the best approach for the TDPUD to take in seeking local carbon-free energy generation and its many benefits while staying in line with customers’ direct concerns over cost?
Laliotis: I completely identify with the survey results of this topic. I support local carbon-free generation and batteries but am concerned with the potential rate impacts. We will be reviewing and addressing specific results of our customer survey in the coming months, and this topic is at the top of the list. There are ways to potentially mitigate widespread rate impacts from this initiative such as voluntary opt-in options, purchased power offsets, grant funding, low-interest long-term financing, and partnering with other local entities or organizations. Through a robust public process, we will consider the true merits, risks, and impacts of projects such as local carbon-free generation, before making significant decisions like this.
Hawkins: TDPUD currently purchases power through a joint arrangement that allows small communities to buy in bulk and have a stronger voice in the power market. Any move toward local renewable generation should begin with careful research and negotiation to determine whether it can provide safe, reliable power without placing an unreasonable burden on ratepayers. As demand grows across the broader power market, the district should evaluate local options based on cost, grid reliability, and long-term community benefit.
The district should communicate clearly and consistently how it is evaluating local energy options, why particular alternatives are selected, what they are expected to cost, and how they will affect reliability. Community support will depend on residents having that information before commitments are made.
Finn: Affordability has understandably become a big concern this year. We will approach the challenge of bringing a local renewable solar project with battery backup into our system in the same way we approach any other capital project — by meticulous planning, budgeting, and execution. We have already approved and set aside funds for a utility-scale battery project. We will continue to strengthen our local relationships to take advantage of community expertise, for example by participation in the Climate Transformation Alliance, which helps us to identify project partners and grant opportunities. We understand that the transition to renewable energy has to include economic justice. Persistence, creativity, and dedication will absolutely bring an affordable local generation project to life here in Truckee.
