Area leaders want public to have input on proposed 11% natural gas rate hike

Leaders in Scranton and Lackawanna County became the latest in Pennsylvania to call for scrutiny and investigation of a proposed natural gas rate increase. UGI Utilities last month proposed raising residential rates by 10.8%. The monthly bill for a residential customer using 73.7 ccf (hundreds of cubic feet) per month would increase from $104.47 to $115.74. Rates for typical commercial customers would increase 8.6%, and 7.5% for typical industrial customers. The new rates — which amount to an estimated $110.4 million for UGI — would take effect March 28. 

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“As Northeastern Pennsylvanians continue to struggle with high living costs, it is infuriating to see a public utility company request to raise rates by over 10%,” U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Dallas Twp.) said in a news release. “It's unacceptable that NEPA families are fighting to keep their homes warm while corporate executives stand at the trough collecting multi-million-dollar compensation packages. UGI should expect to answer for the fiscally irresponsible mismanagement of this essential service.”

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