Intermountain Gas increased its natural gas prices. Here’s what customers should expect

Idaho residents who are customers of Intermountain Gas should expect a hike in their gas bill this month of at least $10.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved an increase in rates on July 29 that increased natural gas services by 24.1% for residential customers and 27% for commercial customers.

The rate increase went into effect Monday, Aug. 1, and will see residential customers’ monthly bills increase on average by $10.55 and commercial customers’ bills by $51.87.

Intermountain Gas filed a purchased-gas adjustment application on May 31, citing a “significant increase” in the price of natural gas. The company said the increase comes from lower-than-average storage levels combined with an increase in demand, along with “other global events” such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has increased natural gas prices worldwide.

“The economic rebound, coupled with a slow ramp-up of drilling activity, also is playing a role in increased commodity prices,” Intermountain Gas Executive Vice President Scott Madison said in a news release in May.

The bulk of the increase comes from an increase in the weighted average cost of gas, increasing the price from $0.26000 per therm to $0.42405 per therm. A therm is a measurement of the heat energy in gas.

Annualized revenues for Intermountain Gas will increase by $67 million but will not increase the company’s earnings, according to Wednesday’s news release.

Although the commission approved the rate increase, it also asked that Intermountain Gas explores all possible options to decrease prices in the future.

How to save money on gas

Intermountain Gas offers a Level Pay program that averages out your monthly bill over the past 12 months and charges you the same amount each month moving forward. The program is designed to avoid higher bills in the winter, when more natural gas is used. Customers would also pay the same price through the summer, when less gas is needed.

Also: Rebates of up to $1,325 are available for residential homes for installing a smart thermostat and a high-efficiency water heater. Commercial customers can also earn rebates for installing certain heating and kitchen appliances that meet specific Energy Star ratings.

Here are some gas-conserving tips. More information and tips can be found on the Intermountain Gas website.

• Thermostats: Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature and lower the temperature by 5 to 8 degrees when no one is home. Install a programmable thermostat and program it to match your personal preferences.

• Clean or change your furnace filter once a year, and have your furnace tuned by a technician once a year.

• Close blinds at night to insulate against cold air, and make sure any cracks are sealed to prevent heat from escaping. Open the blinds when sunny to let heat into the house.

• Ensure that hot water pipes are insulated when passing through uninsulated parts of the house.

New charge for causing a gas-line leak

The Public Utilities Commission also approved an increase in Intermountain Gas’s line-break charge from $0.42443 per therm to $0.58848 per therm for parties responsible for causing a gas leak.

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