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Regulators approve natural gas rate hike for NorthWestern Energy • South Dakota Searchlight [1]
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Date: 2025-01
State regulators approved a settlement Tuesday in Pierre reducing NorthWestern Energy’s proposed $8.38 monthly increase on the average residential natural gas customer’s bill to $6.44.
The 7% rate increase began as a request for a 9% increase. NorthWestern serves 49,800 natural gas customers in South Dakota.
The Public Utilities Commission’s unanimous approval of the settlement will increase the company’s natural gas revenues by $4.6 million annually, down from the originally proposed $6 million.
NorthWestern Energy had not adjusted natural gas rates in South Dakota since 2011. In its application, the company cited rising operational costs and 13 years of infrastructure investments as justification for the rate hike. The average residential customer can expect an increase of approximately $77 annually.
The settlement also includes a rate moratorium that prevents NorthWestern from seeking another natural gas rate increase until 2028, unless an “extraordinary event” occurs.
Earlier this year, NorthWestern Energy was approved for an 11% electricity rate increase, though it was also reduced from an initial request. That decision added $13.67 per month to the average electric customer’s bill.
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https://southdakotasearchlight.com/briefs/regulators-approve-natural-gas-rate-hike-for-northwestern-energy/
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