Area residents to see lower natural gas rates

Inland Northwest residents who heat their homes with natural gas will get a break on their winter heating bills.

Avista customers in Washington will see their rates drop by 10.5 percent, and Idaho customers’ rates will drop by 4.2 percent.

Lower wholesale prices for natural gas contributed to the reduction in rates. Avista also earned higher-than-expected revenues last year as a result of a colder winter, resulting in rate credits for customers. The new rates take effect Nov. 1.

A typical Avista customer in Eastern Washington using 65 therms of gas will pay $45.85 per month under the new rates. A typical Idaho customer using 63 therms of gas will pay $46.28 per month.

The price adjustments were separately approved at recent meetings of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission.

In Washington, natural gas companies must file plans to adjust rates at least every 15 months based on fluctuations in wholesale gas prices. The cost of gas is passed onto consumers without a markup. Companies earn their profits on the cost of supplying the gas to customers’ homes and businesses.

Avista’s Washington customers also got a rate decrease on their natural gas bills in January.