SHICKSHINNY, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — UGI Utility customers in northeastern Pennsylvania could see a big increase in their monthly bills if a rate hike filed by the company with the Public Utility Commission (PUC) is approved.
Reaction to that rate hike request is coming in from customers as well as lawmakers who say they will fight the request.
The average rate hike request for the typical residential customer would increase their monthly bill by about 11%.
A UGI spokesperson tells 28/22 News the money raised with the rate hike request, if approved, will be used to continue the company's ongoing upgrades to the gas delivery system.
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"It's definitely another cost I don't need," said Moss Family Farm and Bistro Owner Matt Moss.
Moss opened his doors three months ago.
Word of a possible hike in his natural gas bill concerns him greatly.
"I use a lot of gas here. Most of my cooking equipment is all gas, so I definitely see it would drastically affect me," Moss explained.
UGI filed the rate hike request with the Public Utility Commission on Monday.
The rate hike, if approved by the PUC, translates into the following numbers:
Residential customers using 73.7 CCF: increase from $104.47 to $115.74 10.8% increase.
Average commercial customer: 8.6% increase per month.
Average industrial customer: 7.5% increase per month.
"What we try to do is, obviously, use this as a way to make system improvements, operations, and maintain our safe and reliable service," UGI Spokesman John Mason tells the I-Team.
Mason says a major priority is replacing old gas lines.
"We're still in the process of replacing all of the gas mains that were made of the older materials, replacing them with more contemporary materials," Mason continued.
Opposition to the rate hike request is building.
Congressman Rob Bresnahan says he will fight the move.
"We are just getting nickeled and dimed to death. I ran on making life affordable for the kitchen table issues. This is not okay, and it's something we fully plan on doing is testifying in front of the Public Utility Commission to express our total disdain," Bresnahan stated.
Jim Bach is the President of the Shickshinny Business Association and owns several buildings in the community that use natural gas.
"There are a lot of people that are on fixed incomes and stuff, and that's pretty significant. So I hope our elected officials are going to stand up and say 'This is not right,' and stand up for the people," Bach said.
A spokesperson for the PUC tells the I-Team there will be an extensive investigation into the UGI rate hike request.
There will also be public hearings so all interested parties, including customers, lawmakers, and consumer advocates can be heard.
To see the full list of filings, visit UGI rate filing or call with concerns at 1-800-276-2722.
