SPOKANE, Wash. -- Avista Corp. is offering more than 900 non-union workers a buyout in an effort to help the utility cut its 2013 budget by about $14 million.
Avista spokesman Dan Kolbet says 919 of the utility's 1,550 employees will have until Dec. 14 to decide, and will learn by Dec. 21 if they've been chosen for the buyout.
Kolbet says Avista hasn't set a target number of people it would like to take the buyouts, which are not being offered to workers with skills that are not easily replaced.
Employees are being offered two weeks of severance pay per year worked for the company, a 12-week departure incentive and other benefits.
Avista provides power to 600,000 business and residential customers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.