Hearings planned on UGI rate hike request

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL FILE - A UGI Utilities worker at a house fire in Ashland in 2020.

WILKES-BARRE – The natural gas utility serving portions of our area is seeking a rate hike and regulators have public hearings scheduled to hear public input.

UGI Utilities serves 690,000 customers across 46 counties in Pennsylvania, including all natural gas-served portions of the Sentinel‘s coverage area.

The company sought a $99.3 Million rate increase in January which would have seen the average residential customer’s bill increase by about 8%.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission suspended the rate hike last month pending investigation.

They have also scheduled in-person public hearings, though none are close by.

The nearest will take place on April 1 at the Wilkes-Barre Township firehall, 152 Watson Street, Wilkes-Barre. Two hearings will take place that day at 1pm and 6pm.

Hearings are also scheduled in Allentown at Allentown City Hall, 435 Hamilton Street, at 1pm, and 6pm April 6 and in Reading at the Dunn Community Center, 4565 Prestwick Drive, at 1pm and 6pm April 7.

There is a call-in hearing date set for Friday, April 3. Hearings will be at 1pm and 6pm that day.

To participate in the telephonic hearing, callers must do the following:

  • Dial the toll-free Conference number – 1-877-874-1047
  • Enter the PIN number when instructed – 11738422
  • Speak your name when prompted, and press #.
  • Then, the telephone system will connect you to the hearing.

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