MORGANTOWN — The Public Service Commission has approved a tiny rate hike in one of two cases Cardinal Natural Gas has before the PSC.
The PSC issued its order on Thursday based on an agreement Cardinal reached with PSC staff and the PSC’s Consumer Advocate Division, which they filed on Wednesday.
Cardinal had proposed a 33-cent monthly increase in the average bill to account for excess revenue — called an over-recovery — from Cardinal’s Infrastructure Replacement and Expansion Program (IREP) in Kingwood. The project was to extend service to an unserved portion of Preston County.
When it filed the case in April, Cardinal calculated an over-recovery of $5,487 in 2023.
PSC staff recommended a smaller, 30-cent increase based on factors that included a smaller over-recovery, $5,814, based on a difference in property tax expenses.
With PSC approval, the new rate takes effect Sept. 1.
Cardinal has two divisions, northern (Preston, Marion, Harrison and Monongalia) and southern (Mercer). The northern division has two territories: Lumberport-Shinnston and Blacksville. Blacksville is not included in the 30-cent rate hike because Cardinal has not undertaken any IREP improvements there.
In the other case, a base-rate case filed in March, Cardinal is asking for a total $370,911 increase for the northern division — an overall 5.92% increase.
Blacksville residential customers would see an $8.41 monthly increase, 10.36%. Lumberport-Shinnston customers would see a smaller increase: $7.28, 6.59%.
Cardinal says this proposed rate hike stems from increased operating costs. A hearing in the case is set for Oct. 10. The new rate would take effect Jan. 21, 2025.
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