NW Natural Files Annual Rate Adjustment for Washington
Media contact: media@nwnatural.com; 503-818-9845 (pager)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2020
PORTLAND, Ore. — NW Natural, a subsidiary of NW Natural Holding Company (NYSE: NWN), has filed its annual Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) request with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC).
The PGA request includes the following changes:
- Rates for residential customers to increase by about $4.52 month.
- Rates for small-commercial customers to increase by about $18.08 a month.
The annual PGA trues up differences between estimated and actual natural gas costs from the previous year. The combined effects of the following filings for the PGA contribute to changes for its approximately 88,000 customers in Washington:
- Purchased Gas Adjustment: A 3.7% or $2.01 increase on the average monthly residential bill, and a 4.0% or $8.53 increase on the average small-commercial bill. The filing trues up the differences between the estimated and actual cost of natural gas, and it establishes the customer costs for natural gas from Nov. 1, 2020-Oct. 31, 2021.
- Energy Efficiency Programs: A 0.8% or $0.45 increase on the average monthly residential bill, and a 0.8% or $1.71 increase on the average monthly small-commercial bill for energy efficiency programs that support cost-effective natural gas conservation.
- Low-Income Assistance: A 0.4% or $0.24 increase on the average monthly residential bill, and a 0.8% or $0.89 increase on the average monthly small-commercial bill for programs that help low-income residential customers install energy efficiency improvements and stay warm during the winter.
- Other year-to-year adjustments and costs approved by regulators: A 3.4% or $1.82 on the average monthly residential bill, and a 3.3% or $6.95 for small commercial.
If approved as filed, the new rates will take effect on Nov. 1, 2020.
NW Natural’s filings are requests, subject to public review and a decision by the WUTC. Customers may comment on the proposed rate changes by clicking “Submit a Comment” at www.utc.wa.gov, emailing comments@utc.wa.gov, calling 1-888-333-9882 (WUTC), or mailing Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, PO Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250.
Customers can also request more information, review the filing, and find out about open meetings. For more information, visit the Rates and Regulations section of nwnatural.com, send a letter to NW Natural Rates and Regulatory, 250 SW Taylor St., Portland, OR 97204; call 503-226-4211 and ask for the Rates and Regulatory Department; or email from nwnatural.com/ContactUs/Email.
About NW Natural
NW Natural is a local distribution company that currently provides natural gas service to approximately 2.5 million people in more than 140 communities through more than 770,000 meters in Oregon and Southwest Washington with one of the most modern pipeline systems in the nation. NW Natural consistently leads the industry with high J.D. Power & Associates customer satisfaction scores.
NW Natural is a local distribution company that currently provides natural gas service to approximately 2.5 million people in more than 140 communities through more than 770,000 meters in Oregon and Southwest Washington with one of the most modern pipeline systems in the nation. NW Natural consistently leads the industry with high J.D. Power & Associates customer satisfaction scores.
NW Natural is part of Northwest Natural Holding Company, (NYSE: NWN) (NW Natural Holdings), is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and through its subsidiaries has been doing business for more than 160 years. It owns NW Natural Gas Company (NW Natural), NW Natural Water Company (NW Natural Water), and other business interests and activities.