What is the rate case and how will customers be impacted?
To support ongoing investments in service reliability and customer growth, Enbridge Gas requested its first rate review and adjustment with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) since 2021. This rate review will allow Enbridge Gas to continue investing in its customers and the growing state, while keeping rates affordable. On September 19, Enbridge Gas and consumer advocates filed a comprehensive settlement agreement on new rates.
Enbridge Gas filed a rate case in April to reflect the costs to deliver natural gas to customers and recover the costs associated with infrastructure investments that allow the utility to provide service to customers in a safe and reliable manner.
Enbridge Gas invests to enhance, expand and modernize its system every day to make sure the utility continues to provide energy to the more than 53,000 North Carolinians that have signed up for natural gas service with the utility since 2021.
Enbridge Gas filed for rate review and increase with the NCUC on April 1 and a comprehensive settlement was reached on September 19. New rates are proposed to take effect on November 1, subject to the NCUC’s approval of the settlement agreement.
Pending NCUC approval, the average residential customer would see an increase of $4.79 per month, representing a 7.2% increase (or $2.79 impact) in residential rates and a basic facilities charge increase of $2. This increase is approximately one third of the rate of inflation since the last regulatory rate review. The basic facilities charge is designed to recover a portion of maintenance and operational costs.
The settlement agreement can be found here.
Enbridge Gas is committed to helping customers, offering a range of payment plans and support for customers struggling to keep up with their monthly bills. A new customer assistance program will provide bill credits for eligible low-income customers during the high-usage months of December to February. These credits do not replace the utility’s existing assistance program, Heat Care, in partnership with the Salvation Army, which will continue.
Separately, all customers will receive $1 million in total bill credits every January through 2028, as part of the company’s purchase agreement after acquiring the North Carolina natural gas utility last fall.
