BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
FRANKFORT — Columbia Gas of Kentucky wants to raise monthly gas bills by 15.8%. The company recently filed a request with the Kentucky Public Service Commission to adjust its delivery rates. The company said it needs the rate hike “to recover capital investments and continue to improve the overall safety and reliability” of the distribution system.
The proposed rate changes would translate to an increase of about $7.28 for a residential customer consuming an average 5.5 Mcf per month. It would add $28.73 to an average commercial customer’s monthly bill.
For Columbia Gas, it would translate to around $23.8 million.
“In order to continue to provide safe and reliable natural gas service across our broad service territory, we must continue to invest in our distribution system, critical training for our employees and technology we need to enhance customer service and protect our customers and system from cybersecurity risks,” said Kimra H. Cole, Columbia Gas of Kentucky president and chief operating officer, in a press release.
The company said there are two basic components to a customer’s monthly bill: the gas supply cost and delivery charges. The rate would apply to the delivery portion.
Delivery charges include a fixed customer charge and a volumetric charge. The fixed customer charge would increase from $19.75 to $27 per billing period for residential customers. The volumetric charge varies depending on the amount of natural gas a customer uses. It would increase from $5.2528 per Mcf used to $5.7874.
The company encourages customers experiencing financial difficulty – regardless of income – to visit ColumbiaGasKy.com/assistance to learn about payment resources. Those include extended payment plans, budget payment plans and state and federal payment assistance.
Rate information is available at ColumbiaGasKy.com/rates.
Customers can have a voice in the rate case process at the PSC. They can comment at future public hearings or by email to psc.comment@ky.gov. Be sure to include Case No. 2024-00092 and your name, address and phone number. Customers can also submit comments by writing to Kentucky Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, KY 40602 referencing Case No. 2024-00092.
Columbia Gas of Kentucky, headquartered in Lexington, provides service to 138,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 30 counties in the state.