Kansas Gas Service files an increase rate request - WIBW
Kansas Gas Service files an increase rate request
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas Gas Service has filed a request to increase its rates to the Kansas Corporation Commission(KCC).
The gas company says it filed the request on Friday, March 1, in an attempt to recover the company’s investments made to maintain a safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible natural gas distribution system for Kansas.
If the request is approved, the average monthly residential bill would increase by roughly $6.71 for customers who use less natural gas and about $9.48 for those who use more natural gas.
According to Kansas Gas Service, the filing encloses an increase in net base rates of $58 million, new residential rate options that align with the energy used, and offering customers more control of the bill.
KGS also says the filing does not impact the portion of the bill associated with the cost of gas, which in 2023, represented 52% of the average residential bill. The cost of gas will continue to be competitively bid and then passed to customers with no markup.
“We’re committed to safety, improving our system and the reliable delivery of natural gas, even in challenging weather like Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and Winter Storm Gerri this past January,” said Sean Postlethwait, vice president of operations for Kansas Gas Service. “During these extraordinary winter events, our team worked around the clock to provide reliable natural gas service to more than 647,000 customer homes and businesses in 360 communities across Kansas.”
KGS claims that natural gas maintains a sizable cost advantage of approximately 3-to-1 when comparing electricity’s average price and equivalent energy value to natural gas, and lower energy costs mean families have more money to meet their everyday needs.
“Our employees work hard to manage our expenses to help keep energy costs at reasonable rates,” continued Postlethwait. “We are here to assist our customers with programs to manage their monthly bills and provide helpful energy-saving tools.”
The KCC has 240 days to consider Kansas Gas Service’s filing.
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