Kansas Gas Service bills to go up on Nov. 1

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) -- The Kansas Corporation Commission has approved Kansas Gas Service's request for a rate increase.

The commission met on Thursday and approved the settlement. The rate increase would begin after Nov. 1.

The agreement is a settlement rate increase of $35 million, compared to the original $58.1 million the utility had asked for earlier this year. KGS also agreed to withdraw its proposed two-tier rate system based on energy usage.

The KCC had originally recommended a $31.7 million rate increase, while the Kansas Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board pushed for a settlement of just $10.8 million. Today's settlement means KGS customers with average use will see their bills increase by $3.83 per month or $46.02 per year, compared to the proposed two-tier system, where customers who used less natural gas would see a $6.71 (10.41%) increase and a $9.48 (8.25%) increase for those who use more natural gas.

A proposal to implement a mechanism to annually adjust rates was also withdrawn by KGS after facing opposition from the KCC and CURB, the Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board of Kansas.

Thursday's order from the Kansas Corporation Commission is below.