Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

04/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/16/2026 14:14

PUC to Investigate $163 Million Rate Increase Request by Peoples Natural Gas

PUC to Investigate $163 Million Rate Increase Request by Peoples Natural Gas

Published on 4/16/2026

Filed under: Gas

Proposed Rate Changes Suspended Pending Full PUC Investigation

HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today voted 5-0 to suspend and investigate a proposed rate increase by Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC (Peoples Gas) for natural gas distribution service to approximately 700,000 residential, commercial, and industrial natural gas distribution customers located in 18 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Peoples Gas Rate Filing

On March 27, 2026, Peoples Gas filed a request to increase annual operating revenues for natural gas distribution service of approximately $163.2 million (13.8%).

Under the proposal, the average bill for a residential customer using 86 Mcf per year of natural gas would increase from $122.20 per month to $138.23 per month (13.1%).

In its filing, Peoples Gas stated that the requested increase in its base rates is necessary to allow it to earn a fair return on investments used and useful to continue to provide safe and reliable service to the public and to support its infrastructure modernization programs designed to enhance safety and reliability. Peoples Gas also stated that this revenue increase is essential to attract the investments necessary to operate and maintain safe, reliable, and customer-focused natural gas distribution services.

PUC Rate Investigation

The Commission's suspension of the proposed rate changes provides time for a full investigation into the lawfulness, justness, and reasonableness of the proposed rates, as well as Peoples Gas' existing rates, rules, and regulations. The case will be assigned to the PUC's Office of Administrative Law Judge (OALJ) for evidentiary hearings and the issuance of a recommended decision.

The OALJ's investigation will include public input hearings to gather testimony from concerned consumers and interested stakeholders. Dates, times, and locations for those hearings will be detailed in future PUC press releases.

Customers are encouraged to follow the case and learn more about how to participate in the ratemaking process through resources available on the PUC's website.

A final PUC decision is due by December 26, 2026.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC's website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the "Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission" or "PA PUC" on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket No.: R-2026-3060855

Contact:

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission published this content on April 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 16, 2026 at 20:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]