The state Public Utility Commission will investigate three northcentral Pennsylvania utilities’ requests to increase electricity or natural gas rates before deciding whether to approve them.
The requests would raise basic monthly bills by 11% to 18.4% for more than 21,000 utility customers in Bradford, Northumberland, Tioga and Union counties.
The commission suspended the requests by Wellsboro Electric Co., Valley Energy Inc. and Citizens’ Electric Co. during a meeting Thursday.
The companies wanted the hikes to take effect June 29. The suspension means that won’t happen. The PUC has until Jan. 29 to decide the case. Typically, new rates take effect at some point after a decision.
A PUC administrative law judge will likely host hearings on the rate hikes. The commission said it will set dates and times later.
Wellsboro Electric seeks about $2.9 million more in annual revenues, or 22%. The bill of a residential customer using 700 kilowatt hours a month would increase to $168.97 from $142.75, or 18.4%. The company also proposes raising the basic residential customer charge to $16.50 from $12, a 37% hike.
Wellsboro Electric serves about 6,500 electric customers in Wellsboro and Charleston, Delmar and Middlebury townships in Tioga County.
Valley Energy, which supplies natural gas, wants $1.6 million more in revenues, or 19%. That translates to a $78.84 bill for a residential customer using 7,600 cubic feet a month. That customer pays $66.81 now. The company also proposes an increase in the residential customer charge from to $14 from $12.35, a 13.4% hike.
Valley Energy serves more than 7,400 customers in Bradford County, including in Athens, Monroe, Sayre, South Waverly and Towanda boroughs and Asylum, Athens, Monroe, North Towanda, Towanda, Ulster and Wysox townships.
Citizens’ Electric proposes raising rates hike enough to raise $1.79 million more in revenues, or 11%. The monthly bill for a residential customer using 1,250 kilowatt-hours a month would rise to $181.51 from $163.89. The company also proposes increasing the residential customer charge from to $16.50 from $13.10, or 26%.
Citizens’ Electric serves almost 7,200 customers in Lewisburg and surrounding communities in Union and Northumberland counties.
