PA Environment Digest Blog: PUC Sets Hearings On Proposed National Fuel Gas 7.4% Natural Gas Distribution Rate Increase Starting March 31

On March 16, the Public Utility Commission announced late-March and early-April in-person and telephonic hearings to gather public input about the nearly $20 million (7.4%) natural gas distribution rate increase request filed by National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (National Fuel).

National Fuel provides natural gas distribution services to more than 213,000 customers in parts of 14 counties in northwest Pennsylvania.

About the National Fuel Rate Increase Request

On Jan. 28, 2026, National Fuel filed a request to increase overall annual revenue by approximately $19.7 million (7.4%).

On Feb. 19, 2026, the PUC formally suspended the proposed rate change to allow for a full investigation into the lawfulness, justness, and reasonableness of the proposed rates, as well as National Fuel’s existing rates, rules, and regulations.

The National Fuel request would result in the total monthly bill for a residential customer, using 80 Ccf per month, increasing from $83.49 to $88.44 (5.9%). National Fuel is also proposing to increase the natural gas customer charge by $5, from $14 to $19 (35.7%).

A final PUC decision for this case is due by Oct. 29, 2026.

PUC Administrative Law Judge Administrative Law Judge Katrina L. Dunderdale will preside over the hearings.

Documents related to this case are available at PUC Docket No.: R-2025-3059523.

In-Person Public Input Hearings

In-person public input hearings will be held at the following location and date:

-- Tuesday, March 31, 2026 – Erie County

Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.

Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

Bayfront Convention Center

1 Sassafras Pier

Erie, PA 16507

Telephonic Public Input Hearings

Call-in telephonic public input hearings will be held at the following date and times:

-- Thursday, April 2, 2026 – Call-in telephonic public input hearings

Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.

Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

NOTE: Pre-registration for the telephonic hearings is encouraged by Noon on March 30, 2026.

To participate in the telephonic hearing, callers must do the following:

-- Dial the toll-free Conference number – 1-866-675-4411

-- Enter the PIN number when instructed - 23464163

-- Speak your name when prompted, and press #.

-- Then, the telephone system will connect you to the hearing.

Participating in a Telephonic Public Input Hearing

If you wish to testify at one of the telephonic public input hearings, preregistration is encouraged but not required. Failure to pre-register, however, may result in you not being called to testify.

You are encouraged to pre-register by Noon on Monday, March 30, 2026.

Pre-Registering for the Telephonic Input Hearings

You may pre-register by email or by phone.

To pre-register by email, please email the Presiding Officer Legal Assistant, Cadi Eberly, at caeberly@pa.gov, and provide the following:

-- Your first and last name.

-- The time of the hearing at which you wish to testify.

-- The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.

-- If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.

To pre-register by phone, please call the Administrative Law Judge’s office at 412-565-3550 and leave a message providing the following:

-- Your first and last name.

-- The time of the hearing at which you wish to testify.

-- The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.

-- A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if we need to contact you.

-- Your email address, if you have one.

-- If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.

Assistance with Pre-Registration

If you need assistance pre-registering to testify, you may have someone register for you, but they will need to provide all the information listed above.

Additionally, if more than one person in your household would like to testify, one person may pre-register for other individuals in the same household by providing the PUC Judges’ Legal Assistant with the above listed information for each individual.

Hearing Exhibits

If you intend to present any documents or exhibits at a public input hearing, you must email one copy to the Presiding Officer via the Legal Assistant, Cadi Eberly, at caeberly@pa.gov and one copy each must be sent to every active party listed on the hearing notice.

All copies must be received by Noon the business day immediately before the hearing.

Proposed exhibits should be properly pre-marked for identification purposes.

Questions

The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) represents the interests of utility customers before the PUC.

If you have questions about the public input hearings or the Company’s application, please contact the OCA toll free at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.

Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.

Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

Click Here for the PUC announcement.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

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-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 21 [PaEN]

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-- DEP Posted 64 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 21 PA Bulletin [PaEN]