Avista’s Idaho customers will get slight break on their winter heating bills
Avista Utilities’ Idaho customers will get a slight break on their heating bills this winter as a result of lower wholesale prices for natural gas.
A typical household will see a decrease of about $4.65 per month on their gas bills. The new rates take effect Tuesday.
The wholesale cost of natural gas, storage and transportation make up about half of each customer’s bill. Those costs are adjusted annually to make up for fluctuations in price.
Lower wholesale prices are the result of a warmer-than-normal 2015-16 winter, an abundance of natural gas in storage and continued high production levels of natural gas.
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved the change last week. Washington customers are getting a similar break on their gas bills.
Avista also has a pending application before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to increase base electric rates by an average 2.6 percent.