Avista has made Purchased Gas Cost Adjustment filings with the utility commissions in Washington and Idaho that, if approved, are designed to increase overall natural gas revenue 12.6% and 10.5%, respectively, effective July 1st.
PGA requests are typically filed annually to balance the actual cost of wholesale natural gas purchased by Avista to serve customers with the amount presently included in customer’s rates. The utility does not make a profit on, or markup, the wholesale cost of natural gas; PGAs ensure customers pay what Avista pays, dollar for dollar, only at a more predictable and stable rate throughout the year.
Since the last PGA filings were made, the price of wholesale natural gas has continued to rise with dramatic sustained increases since late March, with prices reaching levels not seen in over 13 years.
If approved, Washington residential natural gas customers using an average of 67 therms per month would see their monthly bills change from $64.86 to $72.66, an increase of $7.80 per month, or approximately 11.7%. Idaho residential natural gas customers using an average of 63 therms per month would see their monthly bills change from $55.86 to $61.30, an increase of $5.44 per month, or approximately 9.7%.
