Natural gas prices expected to fall for most West Virginian utility customers
The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is predicting a drop in gas bill prices for two-thirds of the state’s residents this coming season after compiling data from a preliminary review of eight purchased gas adjustment (PGA) cases recently filed by natural gas utilities.
Gas utilities make annual PGAs in order to adjust for the cost of gas according to fluctuations in market prices. Utilities are permitted by law to recover the costs of purchasing natural gas, and the PGA is a part of the process by which anticipated prices from November 1 to October 31 of the coming year are submitted to the Public Service Commission. This year’s interim rates will come into effect on November 1.
Eight of West Virginia’s 12 natural gas utilities have submitted requests to the commission this year to lower the purchased gas portion of their rates for the coming year.
Mountaineer Gas Company’s PGA includes a request for a decrease of $0.315 per Mcf – a reduction of 6.55 percent. For Mountaineer Gas Company customers who use an average of seven Mcf per month, the decrease will mean a savings of $2.21 on their monthly gas bills.
