Natural gas prices going up because of BC pipeline eruption

Dec 11 2018, 2:21 am

FortisBC customers across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland will be seeing an increase in their natural gas bills starting in the new year.

The company revealed in a statement that they’ve received approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) on its interim rates for customers.

Thus, natural gas users will see an increase in their bills starting on January 1, 2019.

Residential customers in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island will see an approximate annual increase of 9% – or $68. Customers in Fort Nelson will see an average annual increase of 7%, or $51.

The only decrease will be for customers in Revelstoke who receive piped propane – they’ll see an approximate annual decrease of 11% or $108.

The price changes are a result of the Enbridge pipeline rupture that took place earlier in October of 2018.

“Keeping the natural gas rates low for customers is important to us,” affirms Diane Roy, vice-president of Regulatory Affairs at FortisBC. “But there’s been an impact to our costs associated with actions we had to take to stabilize our natural gas supply.”

Despite the rate increases, however, FortisBC stresses that natural gas is still one of the “most affordable energy solutions.”

Permanent rate decisions are expected in the first quarter of 2019, which may lead to a further adjustment in pricing for customers.

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