The Public Utility Commission has scheduled six in-person and telephone hearings on a rate increase request by Peoples Natural Gas, which is seeking an 18.7 percent hike in revenues.
Under the proposal, customers of the Peoples Natural Gas Division would see their rates increase by 21.4 percent, with the average residential monthly bill rising by $15.63, to $88.79. Residential customers of the Peoples Gas Division would have a 7.6 percent increase, with their monthly bill rising by $6.35, to $90.35.
Peoples Gas Division serves customers of the former T.W. Phillips Gas Company. A separate proposed merger of the two divisions would have all customers paying the same base rates.
The PUC’s in-person hearings will be held at 1 and 6 PM March 5th in Monroeville and the following day at 1 and 6 in Butler. Telephone hearings are scheduled for March 7th at 1 and 6.
A decision on the rate increase request will be made no later than September 27th.
The hearings:
- Tuesday, March 5, 2024 – Monroeville, Allegheny County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Both hearings will be held at the Community College of Allegheny County, Boyce Campus Auditorium, 595 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA 15146 - Wednesday, March 6, 2024 – Butler, Butler County
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
Both hearings will be held at Butler County Community College, Main Campus Founders Hall, 107 College Drive, Butler, PA 16002
Additionally, two telephonic public input hearings have been scheduled for the following:
- Thursday, March 7, 2024
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
PUC Administrative Law Judge Mary D. Long will preside over the public input hearings.
Signing Up for the Telephonic Public Input Hearings
If you wish to testify at a telephonic public input hearing, you are encouraged to pre-register with the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. To pre-register for the telephonic public input hearings, contact the OCA at 1-800-684-6560 or at consumer@paoca.org and provide the following:
- Your first and last name.
- The date and time of the public input hearing at which you wish to testify.
- A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing.
- Your email address (if you have one).
- If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.
