The Public Utility Commission last week voted 5-0 to suspend and investigate the rate increase requested by Peoples Natural Gas, an increase that would apply to about 700,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in eighteen counties.
If approved, the average customer’s monthly bill would increase 13.1 percent. That’s more than sixteen dollars, from $122.20 per month to $138.23. Commercial rates would rise 15.7 percent and industrial users would pay 11.6 percent more. The last Peoples Gas increase went into effect in September of 2024, after the company had requested 21 percent but was granted 12 percent.
The PUC says its suspension of the increase “provides time for a full investigation into the lawfulness, justness, and reasonableness of the proposed rates, as well as Peoples Gas’ existing rates, rules, and regulations.”
The commission’s final decision on the rate change is due no later than December 26th.
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