San Miguel Power Association’s board of directors on Tuesday approved a pair of rate increases to help cover expected increases in power generation and transmission costs.

At its monthly meeting in Nucla, the board unanimously authorized a $2-a-month increase in both the access charge and outdoor lighting rates, the latter of which primarily applies to municipal street lights.

Starting in January, the access charge for single-phase, non-demand service — which covers 93% of the rural electric c...