Great Plains Natural Gas Seeks 12.7% Rate Increase

Great Plains Natural Gas filed a request with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on October 30 to increase its annual revenue by $4.5 million. This proposal represents an overall rate hike of approximately 12.7%, which would raise the average residential customer's monthly bill by about $12.

Specific increases vary by customer type, ranging from 12.1% for large firm general customers to 18.2% for small firm general customers. The company also requested an interim net rate increase of $3.9 million annually. The utility attributes the request to increased operations and maintenance expenses, infrastructure investments made since 2019, and the need to comply with environmental mandates.

In response to the filing, the Minnesota Department of Commerce is seeking technical experts to evaluate the prudence of the company's capital investments. This review will determine if those specific costs should be recovered through the rate proceeding.