NW Natural Rate Increase Starts March 15
Posted on March 15, 2023 by Will Gehrke
Tags, Energy, General Interest
NW Natural residential customers’ bills will increase again starting March 15. This is a $6.73 monthly increase for the average household. This new rate will continue through October 31, 2023.
Spring Increase a Result of Winter Bill Credits
Last year, NW Natural sought to increase rates for residential customers by 25%. To reduce the bill impact for households, CUB advocated for staggering the increase during the winter heating season. These temporary bill increases on March 15 will pay for the bill credits CUB and NW Natural agreed on for the 2022-2023 heating season.
The cost of wholesale methane (natural gas) has increased significantly over the past two years. This is why CUB worked with NW Natural to stagger the bill increase. Without these credits, customers would have faced significantly higher winter heating bills. For more information, check out a previous CUB blog on this agreement.
Due to milder weather in November, the March 15 bill increase was less than expected. See the chart below for estimated bills for an average household:
Bill Discount Available for Income-Qualified Households
If you are having trouble paying your utility bill, NW Natural is offering income-qualified households a bill discount program. Depending on your income, you can receive a discount on your monthly gas bills. A family of 4 making under $60,126 qualifies. Learn more on NW Natural’s website.
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04/06/23 | 0 Comments | NW Natural Rate Increase Starts March 15