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<p>Natural gas bills for UGI Utilities Inc. customers in Northeastern Pennsylvania will increase Dec. 1 with the consolidation of the company&#8217;s three rate structures into one.</p><p>The average annual usage will no longer be calculated by district. Instead, to be more consistent, it will be based on the company&#8217;s 45-county service area.</p><p>According to UGI, the average residential heating customers in Northeastern Pennsylvania, formerly in the North District, who use 89.2 Ccf or 100 cubic feet of natural gas a year will see their monthly bills increase by 1.2 % to $78.98 from $78.03.</p><p>&#8220;The rate districts will essentially go away. We&#8217;re going to have one standard purchased gas cost rate,&#8221; UGI spokesman Joe Swope said Wednesday.</p><p>By law, the cost of the natural gas purchased on the wholesale market is passed on to customers without a markup.</p><p>The company files its annual purchased gas cost rate in June with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. UGI can adjust its rate in September, December and March.</p><p>&#8220;We had three rates. We had to do three different filings,&#8221; Swope said. &#8220;We were very much acting like three different companies.&#8221;</p><p>Bills are expected to increase for customers in the former Central District. The average residential heating customer who uses 89.2 Ccf of natural gas annually will see their monthly bill increase by 4.3 % to $78.98 from $75.72, according to UGI.</p><p>However, customers in the former South District with an annual usage of 89.2 Ccf will see their monthly bills decrease by 6.3 % to $78.98 from $84.33, according to UGI.</p><p>In a press release, Chris Brown, vice president and general manager of Rates and Supply for UGI, said, &#8220;Natural gas continues to be an economical, reliable and responsible source of energy for our customers and our communities.&#8221;</p><p>Brown added that the single rate structure, approved by the PUC as part of the base rate case settlement earlier this year, makes it possible for the company to &#8220;offer a consistent and efficient means of ensuring the best value&#8221; for customers.</p><p>Still, some customers may have difficulty making their monthly payments and the UGI encouraged them to sign up for its free budget billing program that spreads billing amounts out evenly over a 12-month period.</p><p>Customers with a limited or fixed income should call UGI at 1-800-UGI-WARM to determine if they are eligible for one of several energy assistance programs.</p><p>In addition to the company-sponsored programs, UGI can assist eligible customers in applying for federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP grants.</p><p>If any customer is behind on their gas bills, UGI advised them to contact the company as soon as possible to discuss a payment arrangement.</p><p>Additional information about customer assistance programs and the company is available on UGI&#8217;s website, <a href="https://www.ugi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.ugi.com</a> on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UGIUtilities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.facebook.com/ugiutilities</a> and on Twitter at, <a href="https://twitter.com/UGI_Utilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.twitter.com/ugi_utilities</a>.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Hike comes as UGI consolidates rate districts</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

UGI consolidates rate districts, NEPA customers to see increase in natural gas bills