On July 31, 2020, Liberty Utilities (EnergyNorth Natural Gas) Corp. submitted a rate filing with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. We are asking the Commission for permission to raise the rates that we charge customers for our gas distribution service. Currently, distribution rates are not sufficient to allow us to recover costs and earn a reasonable return on investment. We are asking to increase our annual distribution revenues by approximately $13.5 million effective August 2021. The rate filing has been assigned Docket No. DG 20-105.
PLEASE NOTE: We previously notified you of a rate filing that was made in November 2019. However, for various reasons the decision was made to withdraw that filing and submit a new case at a later time. This rate filing effectively replaces that prior filing.
As part of the process we are also requesting a temporary rate increase. The temporary rate increase will be approximately 48 percent of our requested increase. We are asking that temporary rates take effect on October 1, 2020, and remain in effect until we receive a final decision on the requested rate increase.
If the request for an increase is approved by the Commission as filed, the resulting impacts will be as shown below. If you are unsure of what rate category you belong to, you can find your rate code on your gas bill below your account number. The numbers below are based on rates in effect as of August 1, 2020, and a monthly average of typical annual use volumes. Due to variances in seasonal consumption the results in any particular month will be higher or lower than the average.
R-3 – Residential Heating: The total bill for a residential heating customer using 66 therms of gas per month will increase from $86.41 to $94.33 (9.2%). When temporary rates go into effect on October 1, 2020, the bill will increase from $86.41 to $90.30 (4.5%).
G-41 – Commercial/Industrial Low Annual Use, High Winter Use: The total bill for a G-41 customer using 217 therms of gas per month will increase from $254.20 to $276.62 (8.8%). When temporary rates go into effect on October 1, 2020, the bill will increase from $254.20 to $265.22 (4.3%).
G-42 – Commercial/Industrial Medium Annual Use, High Winter Use: The total bill for a G-42 customer using 2,034 therms of gas per month will increase from $1,951.41 to $2,102.43 (7.7%). When temporary rates go into effect on October 1, 2020, the bill will increase from $1,951.41 to $2,021.97 (3.6%).
G-52 – Commercial/Industrial Medium Annual Use, Low Winter Use: The total bill for a G-52 customer using 2,020 therms of gas per month will increase from $1,653.73 to $1,755.93 (6.2%). When temporary rates go into effect on October 1, 2020, the bill will increase from $1,653.73 to $1,690.57 (2.2%).
Please visit the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission’s website at http://www.puc.state.nh.us/ for detailed information regarding this rate case including impacts to all other rate classes. For more information on rates, you can visit our rates page.