WASHINGTON — Washington Gas is asking regulators in the District to approve a 9.6 percent increase to its base rates for natural gas service.
The increase, if approved by the D.C. Public Service Commission would increase residential bills for Washington Gas D.C. customers by an average of $7.94 per month.
Washington Gas says the rate increase would generate an additional $17.4 million in annual revenue for upgrading its natural gas system.
If approved, the rate increase would go into effect in February 2017. Its last rate increase in the District was in May 2013.
As part of the rate increase request, Washington Gas proposes the implementation of a revenue normalization adjustment to reduce fluctuations in customer bills resulting from extreme weather patterns, similar to normalization adjustments it already uses for customers in Maryland and Virginia.
It would offer developers incentives for choosing natural gas over electric when building new apartments and condos in the District.
About 157,000 of Washington Gas’ 1.1 million customers in the region live in the District.
