Press Release

PUC Approves Lower Than Requested Rate Increase by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc.

Published on 12/16/2021

Filed under: Gas

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a settlement that reduces a base rate increase request filed by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Inc. (Columbia Gas) on March 30, 2021.

The Commission voted 3-0 to approve a Joint Petition for Settlement, which reduces Columbia Gas’ requested rate increase by approximately 40%.  Columbia Gas’ initial request called for an overall revenue increase of approximately $98.3 million (19.91%) per year.  Today’s action by the Commission approved a revenue increase of $58.5 million (11.87%), which becomes effective Dec. 29, 2021.

Under the approved settlement, the total average monthly bill of a residential customer using 70 therms of gas per month will increase from $100.77 to $109.10 (8.27%).  Under Columbia Gas’ original proposal, the average total monthly bill for the same residential customer would have increased from $100.77 to $115.37 (14.49%).

Additionally, the approved settlement maintains Columbia’s existing Weather Normalization Adjustment – a type of alternative ratemaking that the Commission continues to encourage other utilities to explore, and a type of alternative ratemaking addressed by the General Assembly with the passage of Act 58 of 2018.

The Joint Petition for Settlement was agreed to by the following formal parties in the case, including:  Columbia Gas, the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, the Office of Consumer Advocate, the Office of Small Business Advocate, Columbia Industrial Intervenors, Shipley Choice, LLC d/b/a Shipley Energy Company and the Retail Energy Supply Association, the Coalition for Affordable Utility Services and Energy Efficiency in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State University, and the Pennsylvania Weatherization Providers Task Force.

Columbia Gas provides natural gas service to about 436,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of 26 counties in western, northwestern, central and southern Pennsylvania.

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 www.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-2021-3024296

Contact:

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