Press Release

PUC Schedules April 18 “Smart Hearings” for Public Input Regarding UGI Electric Rate Increase Request

Published on 4/6/2018

Filed under: Electric

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) has scheduled two “Smart Hearings” in mid-April, to gather public input regarding the rate increase request submitted in January 2018 by UGI Electric.
 

UGI Electric Smart Hearings
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 – 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Commonwealth Keystone Building
Hearing Room 1
400 North Street
Harrisburg, PA  17120
 

The UGI Electric Smart Hearings will be broadcast live on the PUC website and will enable residents throughout the UGI Electric service territory – which includes 61,800 residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of Luzerne and Wyoming counties – to see and hear the testimony being offered, without the need to attend the hearings in person.

Participation in the Smart Hearings may be in person (at the Harrisburg hearing site) or by telephone (from any location). 

Attendance in person requires no prior action. Interested individuals can simply show up and sign in. 

Individuals wishing to testify by telephone must contact the Office of Administrative Law Judge (OALJ) at 717-787-1399 and provide their contact information no later than Friday, April 13, 2018. 

The Smart Hearings will be live-streamed on the Commission’s website (www.puc.pa.gov/about_puc/live_streaming_video.aspx). Those interested in testifying by telephone do not need to have access to the live-streaming event to offer their comments. Witnesses may choose to have their comments not included in the live-stream, if they so desire.

For individuals with special needs, the OALJ may be able to make accommodations.  Please call 717-787-1399 at least five business days prior to the hearing to submit your request for any accommodations.  AT&T Relay Service is available for those who are hearing-impaired by calling 1-800-654-5988.
 

UGI Electric Rate Increase Request

On March 1, 2018, the PUC voted to investigate a proposed general rate increase for UGI Utilities Inc. for its electric service.

The initial request submitted by UGI Electric proposed increasing annual revenues by $9.254 million (10.4 percent), but they subsequently lowered the increase being sought, to $8.491 million (9.5 percent), based on revenue recalculations resulting from new federal tax laws. 

Under UGI’s revised proposal, the average monthly bill for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month would increase from $112.28 to $124.14 (10.56%).

The request was suspended for up to seven months and assigned to the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge for an investigation and recommended decision.

More information on the ratemaking process is available on the Commission’s website.
 

Offering Comment at a Hearing

Members of the public are welcome to attend the hearings (in-person or remotely) and provide comments. Their testimony will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.

The PUC offers tips on how to participate, including:

• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand.  Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
• Bring copies, if you are attending an in-person hearing.  If you have a written statement you would like to give to the judge as evidence, please bring two copies for the court reporter and several copies for the other participants.
• Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, 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-2017-2640058

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov