Consumer session slated on Southwest Gas rate request
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada has scheduled a Wednesday consumer session to get ratepayer feedback on a Southwest Gas Corp. rate change.
The commission will accept comments on the natural-gas utility’s annual filing to recover costs for purchased fuel in the past year.
Southwest Gas asked for an increase in annual revenue of $1.2 million, or 0.32 percent, in Southern Nevada. That would mean an increase of 14 cents, or 0.24 percent, on the average local monthly winter bill.
The revenue increase would cover the cost of purchased fuel. Purchased fuel is a direct pass-through to consumers, with no profit or loss for the utility. The commission is evaluating Southwest Gas’ purchased-fuel costs to determine if those costs are prudent and reasonable. It has scheduled a Nov. 6 hearing to discuss the filing.
The Wednesday session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the commission’s office at 9075 W. Diablo Drive, Suite 250.
The filing is unrelated to a separate filing Southwest Gas made in May seeking a general rate increase.
In that filing, Southwest Gas asked for a 6.2 percent rate hike to cover rising operating costs, including wages, benefits and inflation. The company also wants to increase investor returns. It asked separately for a monthly surcharge to pay for pipeline replacement.
The commission held a July consumer session on the general rate increase and the surcharge.
To see the filings, visit puc.nv.gov. Select “Docket Info” on the menu, and click on “All Dockets.” To see the annual purchased fuel filing, click on Docket No. 12-06013. To see the general rate and pipeline requests, click on dockets 12-04005 and 12-02019.
Contact reporter Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512. Follow @J_Robison1 on Twitter.