Avista could lower natural gas rates by nearly 15 percent

Residential customers of Avista Utilities could be paying a lot less for natural gas this winter, if state regulators approve. The Spokane-based utility is asking regulators for a nearly 15 percent reduction in natural gas rates through an annual adjustment process that’s based on the wholesale price Avista pays. A residential customer using the average 68 therms would see their bill fall by $10.17 a month, the company said in a news release. Avista is asking the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to approve the “purchased gas cost adjustment” request so it can go into effect on Nov. 1. Along with that, the company says it will be receiving a smaller benefit through a program run by the Bonneville Power Adminstration, so electric bills will rise slightly. If approved, residential customers using an average 966 kilowatt hours per month could see their monthly bill go up by $2.69 per month, or 3.3 percent. That “residential exchange program” adjustment also would start on Nov. 1.