Higher rates for natural gas proposed

Puget Sound Energy's natural gas customers in Graham, Spanaway, Eatonville, Kapowsin and elsewhere in Pierce County may see higher bills in about a month. The utility last week filed a request with state regulators to increase natural gas rates for the upcoming winter season by an overall 1.5 percent, effective Nov. 1. If approved by the state's Utilities and Transportation Commission, the proposal will increase a typical household's monthly natural gas bill by 1.4 percent, or $1.07, to $78.55. The higher amount is based on 68 therms of average monthly usage over a 12-month perio, and is about what Puget Sound Energy customers were paying in 2010, according to the utility. Commercial rates will increase by about 1.6 percent. Puget Sound Energy is the only supplier of natural gas in Pierce County, where it has 141,666 customers. A spokesman for the utility said the increase reflects a reduction of a credit included in current rates for the cost of natural gas supplies it purchased for customers. While domestic supplies of natural gas are abundant, the wholesale price of natural gas has increased slightly in the past year, the spokesman said. The Utilities and Transportation Commission can allow natural gas utilities to periodically adjust rates, up or down, to reflect changes in the price of the supplies that utilities buy and deliver to customers. Puget Sound Energy said it doesn't gain profit or lose on the cost of natural gas it purchases. The only area in the county that doesn't get natural gas from Puget Sound Energy is the town of Buckley, which has a different source. In addition to its natural gas customers, Puget Sound Energy has 107,936 electricity customers in Pierce County. Statewide, the utility serves 1.1 millon electricity and about 760,000 natural gas customers.

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