The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will investigate a proposed rate increase requested by Peoples Natural Gas.
The commission voted 5-0 to suspend the proposed rate increase request for up to seven months from the time the rates would otherwise have become effective, and to assign the case to the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge for corresponding proceedings and the issuance of a recommended decision.
The Peoples Gas request, filed on Jan. 28, 2019, would increase its operating revenues by approximately $94.9 million per year (14 percent).
Under the Peoples Gas request, which would combine the rates of its Peoples and Equitable Divisions – the average monthly bill for a residential customer in the Peoples Division would increase from $74.24 to $84.73, an increase of $10.49 or 14.1 percent, and the average monthly bill for a residential customer in the Equitable Division would increase from $70.79 to $84.73, an increase of $13.94 or 19.7 percent.
Public input hearings to gather comments about the Peoples Gas rate increase request from concerned residents will be scheduled by the Administrative Law Judge and publicized by the PUC and Peoples Gas when dates and locations have been finalized. More information on the ratemaking process is available on the Commission’s website.
Peoples Gas provides service to more than 622,000 residents and businesses in Pittsburgh and surrounding counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. A final decision by the Commission regarding the Peoples Gas request is due by October 29, 2019.