Press Release

PUC Reminds Consumers of Upcoming Public Input Hearings for Rate Increase Proposed by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania

Published on 5/24/2022

Filed under: Gas

May 26 Registration deadline for Telephonic Hearings to Gather Public Input from Columbia Gas Customers and Other Concerned Parties

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today reminded consumers of the May 26 registration deadline for a series of late May and early June telephonic hearings to gather public input on the rate increase proposed by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, which provides natural gas distribution service to approximately 440,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in portions of 26 counties across western and south-central Pennsylvania.

The deadline to sign up for the public input hearings is 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2022. 

PUC Public Input Hearings

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

• Tuesday, May 31, 2022 – Telephonic hearings will be held at 1 p.m. and at 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 1, 2022 – Telephonic hearings will be held at 1 p.m. and at 6 p.m.

PUC Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge Christopher Pell and Administrative Law Judge John Coogan will preside over the hearings.

Signing Up for the Public Input Hearings

If you wish to testify at the telephonic public input hearings, you must pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) by 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2022. If you do not pre-register and provide the information listed below, you will 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 hearings, you may also contact the OCA to obtain the call-in information.  

To pre-register, please contact the OCA by phone at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org and provide:

• Your first and last name;
• The date and time (1 p.m. or 6 p.m.) of the public input hearing you would like to participate in;
• 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 it is necessary to contact you;
• Your email address, if you have one; and
• 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 Judge and all parties.  Exhibits must be received by May 26, 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 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, 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.
  
  

Columbia Gas Rate Increase Request

The rate changes proposed by Columbia Gas would produce an overall revenue increase of approximately $82.2 million per year. 

Under the Columbia Gas proposal, the total monthly bill for a residential customer who purchases 70 therms of gas would increase from $123.24 to $135.67 (10.09%).  Additionally, Columbia proposes an increase in the monthly residential customer charge from $16.75 to $24.75.

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 Dec. 17, 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-2022-3031211

Contact:

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