Telephone hearings scheduled for Columbia Gas rate increase request

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will start this month a series of hearings on a rate increase proposed by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania.

Under the Columbia Gas proposal, the total monthly bill for a residential customer using 70 therms of gas would increase by about 10% — from $123.24 to $135.67.

The company also proposed increasing the monthly residential customer charge by about 48%, from $16.75 to $24.75.

Rates would also increase for commercial and industrial customers.

The commission will hold hearings by telephone on the proposal at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. May 31 and June 1.

Columbia Gas has about 440,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in parts of 26 counties across western and southcentral Pennsylvania.

The commission voted in April to investigate the request, which was filed March 18. That suspended the rate increase request for up to seven months.

Columbia Gas spokesman Lee Gierczynski said the rate increase will “provide us with the opportunity to continue investing in the safety of our natural gas distribution system by replacing aging underground pipe.

“Economic development of the 26-county area that Columbia Gas serves in Pennsylvania benefits greatly from this investment,” he said.

May 26 deadline

Those wishing to testify at the hearings are required to pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate by noon on May 26.

Those interested in listening to the hearings while not testifying should contact the Office of Consumer Advocate to get the call-in information.

To register or for information, the Office of Consumer Advocate can be reached by phone at 800-684-6560 or email at consumer@paoca.org. Exhibits should be emailed to the office by May 26.

Any formal testimony offered during a hearing will become part of the record on which the commission will issue its final decision, which is due by Dec. 17.

“If the request is approved as filed, the total average residential customer bill in 2022 would still be 10% lower than it was 20 years ago when adjusted for inflation,” Gierczynski said.

The PUC announced the hearings on Columbia Gas’ proposed rate increase the day after issuing a warning about increased electric costs beginning June 1.

Electric supply costs will increase between 6% and 45% across the state for consumers not under contract with a supplier.