Southwest Gas 10% rate increase to be considered by PUCN today - KLAS - 8 News Now

Southwest Gas 10% rate increase to be considered by PUCN today

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada’s Public Utilities Commission will discuss another rate increase request from Southwest Gas on Monday morning. The company wants a 10% increase in bills starting in April.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. You can watch the meeting at this link.

This comes on the heels of higher gas bills in December that went even higher in January when the average Southwest Gas bill increased by 50% from a year earlier. Southwest Gas has cited the changing price of natural gas for those increases and according to a statement on its website, the cost has increased more than 75% over the past two years.

During a protest organized by ratepayers last week, Sandra Bennett said her average gas bill of $60 in the prior year rose to $278 this year.

“I only heat my water,” she said. “I live on Social Security. Every dime, you know, I got to account for. They raise it again. I’m not going to be able to have gas.”

The 10% rate hike would go toward capital improvement projects. However, Southwest’s request did indicate employee wages and benefits could also be included.

Last week, customers protested outside of the utility’s building near Durango and Windmill.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada supervises and regulates the operation and maintenance of public utilities and reports to the Nevada Legislature. Consumers can make a complaint to the Public Utilities Commission at this link.