PUC holds hearing on proposed Columbia Gas tax hike
A public hearing held by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on Thursday regarding a rate increase request from Columbia Gas ended without testimony.
Under the request submitted by Columbia Gas, annual would increase by $55.3 million, or 11.2 percent.
The average total monthly bill for a residential customer would increase from $77.33 to $86.97.
On April 26, the PUC voted to suspend the increase for up to seven months and assigned the matter to a PUC administrative law judge for a public hearing and a recommended decision.
The PUC will hold additional hearings, and comments and testimony from all hearings become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
A final decision must be made by Dec. 19.
Columbia Gas provides natural gas service to about 421,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of 26 counties in Pennsylvania.