Pedernales Electric Cooperative members could see lower electric bills in December after the PEC Board of Directors voted to reduce the cooperative's delivery charge.

The board's Sept. 30 vote lowers monthly delivery charges for all PEC members, according to a statement released by the cooperative. For residential members, the reduction will amount to about $5 per thousand kilowatt-hours consumed.

For residents who use more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power each month the charge will drop from $32.12 to $27.12. For residents who use more than 1,275 kilowatt-hours of power each month the charge will drop from $40.95 to $34.58.

Most PEC members use more than 1,275 kilowatt-hours each month and will save more after Dec. 1. However, some members will see the change reflected on later bills because of their different billing cycles, according to the statement.

PEC board president Patrick Cox said the reduction comes after the cooperative's recent attempts to reach a strong financial position.

"Our current financial projections and careful analysis by the [cooperative]'s staff signal this is the right move to make at the right time," Cox said.

PEC Chief Executive Officer John D. Hewa said the board has reduced bad debts and is working with the Lower Colorado River Authority and other electricity providers to lower costs more.

"We anticipate more good news in the next few months," Hewa said in the statement.

PEC provides power to more than 250,000 Central Texas customers, including Cedar Park and Leander residents. Its seven districts cover 8,100 square miles spanning from Lampasas to Bulverde. The PEC also covers Marble Falls and Johnson City, where its headquarters is located.