Dalton Utilities is on a path to end 2023 with a $74 million operating margin, according to data presented to the utility’s board on Tuesday.
That is based on numbers through the end of November.
The utility uses money generated from its operations to support investments in maintaining and expanding the operation of facilities, to fund debt service obligations and to fund its transfer payment to the city’s general fund.
Dalton Utilities pays the city each year a transfer payment set at the larger of $10.5 million or 5% of the utility’s total revenue. That transfer payment was $12.1 million in 2023.
In November, electricity revenue exceeded expenses by $5 million. For the year through November, electric revenue exceeded expenses by $61.3 million.
In November, natural gas expenses exceeded revenue by $235,000. For the year through November, revenue exceeded expenses by $1.3 million.
For water services, revenue exceeded expenses by $341,000 in November and by $5.4 million for the year through November.
For wastewater services, expenses exceeded revenue by $58,000 for the month. Expenses were $237,000 more than revenue for the year through November.
OptiLink revenue exceeded expenses by $414,000 in November and by $4.5 million for the year through November.