PUC To Investigate Proposed 10.8% UGI Natural Gas Rate Increase

On February 20, the Public Utility Commission voted to suspend and investigate a proposed rate increase by UGI Utilities Inc. – Gas Division (UGI) for natural gas distribution service to approximately 690,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 46 counties across Pennsylvania.

The Commission voted 5-0 to investigate UGI’s proposal to increase its annual operating revenues for natural gas distribution service by $110.4 million (9.7%). 

Under the proposal, the average bill for a residential customer using 73.7 hundred cubic feet (Ccf) of natural gas per month would increase from $104.47 to $115.74/month (10.8%). 

The rate increase request is suspended and will be assigned to the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge for evidentiary hearings and the issuance of a recommended decision. 

A final PUC decision is due by October 28, 2025.

Documents related to this case can be found at: Docket No. R-2024-3052716.

Click Here for the PUC announcement.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 15 to 21 -- Shale Gas Wells Seismic Investigation; Conventional Well Spill Cost Water Co. Customers $900,000 So Far; Oil & Gas Waste Plant Fails To Report Wastewater  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 22 [PaEN]

-- Environmental Integrity Project: President Orders Hundreds Of Energy Emergency Reviews Of US Army Corps Of Engineers Project Permits, Including Dozens In PA  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 97 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 22 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- The Derrick: Aqua PA Spells Out Venango Water Co. Expenses Since Its PUC-Ordered Emergency Role [Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Cost Water Customers $900,000, So Far, In Venango County]  [PaEN] 

-- The Derrick: GCI Water Solutions Fails To Report How Much Oil & Gas Wastewater It Is Treating Thru Titusville's Wastewater Plant In Crawford County  [PaEN]  

-- Part I - Environmental Impacts: State Dept. Of Health, Penn State Medical Webinars On Caring For Persons Living & Working In Communities With Oil & Natural Gas Extraction  [PaEN]

-- Part II - Health Impacts: State Dept. Of Health, Penn State Medical Webinars On Caring For Persons Living & Working In Communities With Oil & Natural Gas Extraction  [PaEN]

-- DEP Soliciting Proposals For 6 Professional Services Related To Plugging Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells; Federal Funding At Risk  [PaEN]

-- Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, Black Appalachian Coalition, PennFuture, Partners Host March 4 Webinar -- Why Is My Electricity Bill So High?  And Going Higher?  [PaEN]

-- Washington & Jefferson College Hosts March 19 Webinar On Meeting The Challenges Of The Electric Grid - PJM's Role  [PaEN] 

-- PUC To Investigate Proposed 10.8% UGI Natural Gas Rate Increase  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Approves $9,000 Penalty Against Columbia Gas For Defective Welding At Gas Regulator Station In Beaver County  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- The Derrick:  Aqua Spells Out Venango Water Co. Expenses Since Its PUC-Ordered Emergency Role  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick: GCI Water Fails To Report To Titusville Boro On How Much Oil & Gas Wastewater It Is Treating Thru The Boro’s Wastewater Plant, DEP Reporting May Not Be Accurate  [PDF of Article] 

-- Courier Times: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline In Bucks County Operational Again After Leaking Fuel For 16 Months,  Some Are Worried 

-- Courier Times: More Wells In Bucks County Contaminated, Residents Fear Impact Of Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Spreading 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Stay The Course On Federal, State Rules To Reduce Methane Emissions From Oil And Gas Operations - By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council  

-- Williamsport Sun: Lawmaker: Electrical Grid Facing Future Shortage Of Energy

-- Guest Essay: Iceberg Ahead - Pennsylvania’s Looming Power Crisis - By Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming)

-- DailyEnergyInsider.com: Let PA Regulated Utilities Invest In And Own Electric Generation Resources, Says PPL Electric President  

-- LehighValleyNews.com  Guest Essay: Ex-PUC Chairmen Say The ‘New PPL’ Wants PA To Go Backward And Own Electric Generation - By James Cawley, Robert Powelson, Glen Thomas

-- Reuters: New US Energy Council Chief Calls On Power Plants To Produce 10% to 15% More Electricity To Meet A.I., Data Center Demands

-- Scranton Times: PUC Will Investigate Proposed 10.8% Rate Hike By UGI Gas

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: PUC To Investigate Proposed 10.8% UGI Gas Rate Hike

-- MCall Guest Essay: US Dept. Of Energy LNG Gas Export Facility Plans Will Pollute Communities, Raise Prices - By Alex Bomstein, Clean Air Council

-- Reuters: EU Seeks More US LNG Gas, Renewable Energy To Replace Russian Supplies; Gas Prices Rose To 2-Year Highs Last Week

-- The Economist: Will Europe Return To Putin’s Natural Gas If Negotiations End Ukraine War?  Lower Gas Prices Could Revive European Economy Without Expensive US LNG Gas 

-- Bloomberg: Stocks Of US LNG Gas Export Companies Drop Amid Talks Over Ending Ukraine War

-- Reuters: Oil Price Increases For Third Day On US Fuel Stocks Draw, Worries About Russia Disruptions

-- The Center Square: PA Shale Gas Wastewater Could Be A Significant Source Of Lithium, A Key Component In Making Electronic Devices

-- The Energy Age Blog: Maryland State Senators Propose Bill To Legalize Fracking 

-- Utility Dive: FERC Launches Colocation Review Of A.I./Data Centers, Plus 6 Other Open Meeting Takeaways

-- Utility Dive: President’s New Executive Order Brings Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Under White House Review, Approval Process For Regulations, Actions 

[Posted: February 20, 2025]  PA Environment Digest