Cascade Natural Gas customers to pay slightly lower rates this fall

For the average home, it amounts to 15 cents a month; utility has requested rate hike for 2021

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Public Utility Commission said Monday it recently approved a slight decrease in rates for Cascade Natural Gas customers due to the annual purchased gas adjustment, which goes into effect Nov. 1.

The PUC approves adjustments annually to the rates of the three regulated natural gas companies, including Avista Utilities, Cascade Natural Gas, and NW Natural, to reflect changes in the actual cost of wholesale priced natural gas, known as the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA). This allows companies to pass through their actual cost of purchasing gas to customers without a markup on the price.

The PUC approved an overall decrease of $373,000, or 0.6 percent for Cascade Natural customers for the PGA annual filing, when compared to 2019 company gross revenues. This adjustment is effective Nov. 1, 2020. The result of this decision is a decrease in customer rates as indicated below:

• Residential Customers - The monthly bill of a typical customer using an average of 60 therms per month will decrease by $0.15, or 0.3 percent, from $48.69 to $48.54.
• Commercial Customers - The monthly bill of a typical customer using an average of 252 therms per month will decrease by$0.54, or 0.3 percent, from $166.11 to $165.57.
• Industrial Customers - The monthly bill of a typical customer using an average of 4,693 therms per month will decrease by $49.76, or 4.5 percent, from $1,097.30 to $1,047.54.

Cascade Natural Gas has a rate case filed with the PUC, seeking additional revenues for non-gas costs. A decision on this filing, which is scheduled for early 2021, will further impact customer rates.

To increase energy efficiency and save on bills, customers are encouraged to:

• Turn down thermostats to save up to 3 percent for each degree. A programmable thermostat that reduces heat at night or when no one is home can lower heating bills by 5 to 10 percent.
• Update low-efficiency furnaces and water heaters with higher-efficiency models. 
• Fully insulate homes to realize up to 30 percent savings on a heating bill. 
• Clean or change the furnace filter once a month during the heating season. 
• Conduct an online Home Energy Review through the Energy Trust of Oregon.
• Ask their natural gas service provider about bill payment assistance programs.

Cascade Natural Gas serves more than 75,000 customers in the Bend region and parts of Northeast Oregon.  

About the PUC
The Public Utility Commission of Oregon (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies. The PUC’s mission is to ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates. This is done through robust analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair process.