Residential natural gas rates going up across West Virginia

Many West Virginia residents are going to be paying more to heat their homes this winter. The state Public Service Commission approved new purchased gas rates Thursday for natural gas utilities and most of the rates are going up.

PSC spokesperson Susan Small said the annual rates, which go into effect Nov. 1, are based directly on what the utilities paid for natural gas at the wellhead and this year those prices have increased for most companies.

“The average monthly residential bills are going to go up slightly,” Small said.

Mountaineer Gas has the most customers in West Virginia. The PSC said a customer using 7 Mcf a month, an average amount, will see their monthly bills increase $6.97. Peoples Gas has a projected $4.06 increase. Hope Gas took in more money than it spent on gas last year so rates for the average customer will actually decrease approximately $3.40 a month.

Small said the increases are mainly tied to the companies undercharging the last few years along with transportation costs.

The PSC had decreased purchased gas rates for eight consecutive years before Thursday’s increases.

Purchased gas rates are basically a pass through situation for the PSC. It reviews what the utilities have paid and then approves a rate increase or decrease. It is not part of the companies’ base rates.