National Fuel seeks $10 increase in bill for typical customer

From staff reports

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. is requesting a rate increase of more than $10 in the monthly bill of a typical residential customer.

The utility has submitted to the Public Utility Commission its annual adjustment to gas supply charges that will take effect Sunday, and the adjustment would raise the bill for a customer with annual usage of 101,100 cubic feet of gas by $10.31 from $69.61 to $79.92.

The adjustment is primarily due to higher market prices for natural gas, which have increased the cost of natural gas supplies National Fuel procures for customer consumption, a press release from National Fuel said.

Gas supply costs are passed along to customers dollar for dollar, with no mark-up or profit to National Fuel, the release said. Pennsylvania utility companies are permitted to update gas supply charges on a quarterly basis to reflect changes in the market price of natural gas.

The next opportunity to adjust gas supply charges will be Nov. 1, according to the release.

Earlier this month, the release said, National Fuel filed a request with the PUC to provide immediate and recurring savings on delivery service charges to residential customers through a combination of a one-time bill credit of $100 per customer and ongoing rate reductions.

The proposed savings, if approved by the PUC, would begin Oct. 1, according to the release, and would help offset the impact of the increase in monthly gas supply charges.

National Fuel’s price-to-compare gas commodity charge also will increase to .49614 cents per 100 cubic feet, according to the release.

This reference point, detailed on the National Fuel bill under “Gas Supply Charges,” is a point of information for customers who are shopping for an alternate gas supplier.