Pike County electricity and natural gas customers will get a chance to comment on proposed rate hikes at public hearings next month.
State Public Utility Commission administrative law judges Marta Guhl and Alphonso Arnold III will listen to testimony on Pike County Light & Power Co.’s rate hike requests at four hearings.
The judges will host in-person hearings at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. March 18 at the Milford Township municipal building, 560 Route 6 & 209.
The other hearings are at the same times March 19, but by telephone. Pre-registration for the telephone hearings is encouraged.
The company wants higher natural gas rates that would raise about $905,900, or 35.8%, more in revenue.
Under the proposal, the average bill for a residential customer using 8,000 cubic feet (80 Ccf) a month would increase by 44.4% to $196.08 a month from $135.78.
The company serves almost 1,400 natural gas customers in Matamoras Borough and a small section of Westfall Township, according to its website.
The company also wants higher electric city rates that would raise about $1,874,600, or 11.6%, more in revenues. The monthly bill for an average residential customer (674 kilowatt-hours a month) would increase by 11.6% to $149.81 from $134.29.
The company serves about 5,200 customers in Milford and Matamoras boroughs; Milford and Westfall townships; Millrift, Pond Eddy and a small northeast section of Dingman Township.
In its filing with the PUC, the utility says it needs higher rates to pay for modernization of its distribution system; cover higher costs of new equipment; and cover borrowing for upgrades that costs more because loan interest rates doubled since 2021.
The company’s last base electricity and natural gas rate hikes went into effect July 28, 2021.
Final PUC decisions on the requests are due by Oct. 15.
To testify by telephone, customers should pre-register by 4 p.m. March 18. To pre-register, email the judges’ legal assistant, Christina M. Biggica, at biggica@pa.gov, or call her at 717-783-5453.
