Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania recently made a request to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to have its revised rates approved.
The rate change would be for upgrading and replacing portions of the company’s underground natural gas distribution pipelines.
“Ensuring the continued, long-term safety of the customers and communities we serve is essential, and it requires the necessary level of investments to modernize an aging energy infrastructure for the future,” Mark Kempic, Columbia Gas president and COO, said. “This proposal seeks to balance cost and service in order to continue delivering on our commitments to customers.”
It takes approximately nine months for PUC to complete the review process.
If approved, the average residential customer would see an increase from $100.77 to $115.37 per month, a 14.49 percent increase. The average small commercial customer would see an increase from $164.92 to $187.30, 13.57 percent. The average small industrial customer would see an increase from $1,164.10 to $1,296.34 per month, an 11.36 percent increase.
Customers can participate in the review process via consumer advocacy organizations, attending public hearings and written comments.
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania is a subsidiary of NiSource, one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States.