Oct. 28, 2005
 
Expect Natural Gas Bills 17 to 31 Percent Higher in West Virginia This Winter
 
By David M. Kinchen
Editor, Huntington News Network
 
Hinton (HNN) -- Natural gas consumers served by major utilities in West Virginia can expect bills ranging from 17 percent to 31 percent higher this winter compared with last winter, according to Byron Harris, deputy consumer advocate in the Consumer Advocate Division of the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
 
Harris on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005 said a customer using 13,000 cubic feet of gas supplied by Mountaineer can expect a January bill of $193.76, up 31 percent from last winter’s $147.48. Mountaineer is the state’s largest gas company, with 202,860 customers. Customers of Dominion Hope Gas, the next largest with 115,707 customers, can expect a 21 percent increase, from last winter’s $164.32 to this winter’s $198.26. All rate increases are effective on Nov. 1, 2005 – Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and many Latin American countries. It’s also known as All Souls Day.
 
West Virginia Power Gas, serving 23,183 customers in Southern West Virginia, will have a 21 percent increase, from $164.12 last winter to $198.83 this winter. Bluefield Gas, where the base rate is still pending, is expected to see a 27 percent increase, from $153.97 to $195.68. The utility serves 4,079 customers.
 
Equitable Gas, the fourth largest, with 13,292 customers, will have a 17 percent rate hike, from $158.28 to $184.41.
 
Harris says the increases are far in excess of the official government inflation rate, largely due to disruptions in storage and distribution caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the rising cost of gas due to increased demand for this clean burning fuel. If there is any bright spot in the largest rate hike in 30 years, Harris said, it’s that West Virginia consumers will have less of an impact than gas users in other parts of the country, where rates will increase 47 percent.
 
Harris urges gas users to winterize their houses as much as possible and replace older appliances such as water heaters with newer, more efficient ones. He also expects most customers will turn down their thermostats and use more sweaters and blankets.