After approving a rate increase earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has approved a second lower than requested rate increase for Columbia Gas.
Columbia requested the nearly $100 million per year rate hike in May. Instead, the PUC has approved a revenue increase of nearly $60 million. In February the PUC allowed the gas utility to increase revenue by $63.5 million.
The average monthly bill for a residential customer will increase by just over 8% from nearly $101 per month to just over $109 per month beginning in two weeks. The PUC also directed Columbia to take steps to improve energy affordability and assist income-qualified households.
Columbia Gas provides service to roughly 436,000 residents and businesses in western and southern Pennsylvania, including many in Butler County.
