Press Release

PUC Sets Mid-April Public Input Hearings for Rate Increase Proposed by UGI Utilities – Gas Division

Published on 3/16/2022

Filed under: Gas

April 13 Telephonic Hearings Will Gather Public Input from Customers and Other Concerned Parties

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced a pair of telephonic hearings on April 13 to gather public input on the rate increase proposed by UGI Utilities Inc. – Gas Division (UGI), which provides natural gas distribution services to approximately 672,000 customers in 45 counties across Pennsylvania.

PUC Public Input Hearing

The public input hearings for the proposed UGI rate increase are scheduled for the following:

• Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – Telephonic hearings will be held at 1 p.m. and at 6 p.m.

PUC Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge Joel Cheskis and Administrative Law Judge Gail M. Chiodo will preside over the hearings.

Signing Up for the Public Input Hearing

If you wish to testify at the telephonic public input hearing, please pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) by 3 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022.  If you do not pre-register and provide the information listed below, you may not be able to testify.  Individuals will testify in the order in which they pre-register.   If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing, there is no need to pre-register with the OCA.

To pre-register, please contact the OCA by email at consumer@paoca.org or by telephone at 800-684-6560 and provide the following information:

• Your first and last name.
• The date of the public input hearing.
• The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.
• A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if we need to contact you.
• Your email address, if you have one.
• If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.

If you require an interpreter, please pre-register as soon as possible to allow every reasonable effort to have an interpreter present. 

If you have any hearing exhibits to which you will refer during the hearing, please email them to the OCA at consumer@paoca.org.   The OCA will forward the exhibits to the PUC Administrative Law Judges and all parties.  Exhibits must be received by April 8, 2022. 

If you have any questions, please contact the OCA at toll-free at 800-684-6560 or consumer@paoca.org. 

Relay service number for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired is 800-654-5988.

The deadline for signing up for the public input hearings is 3 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
• Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
• Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.
  
  

UGI Rate Increase Request

The rate changes proposed by UGI would generate an $82.7 million (7.8%) increase in annual revenues for natural gas distribution services.  Under the rate increase proposed by UGI, the total average monthly bill of a residential customer using 73.1 Ccf of natural gas per month would increase from $98.62 to $108.01 per month, or by 9.5%.

More information on the ratemaking process is available on the PUC website. A final decision by the Commission on this rate increase request is due by Oct. 29, 2022.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket No.: R-2021-3030218

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov