=Unitil Corporation, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers throughout New England, has filed a revision with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities asking for lower customer rates for the 2010-11 winter months.
The proposed cost of gas adjustment would take effect November 1, 2010. Unitil is proposing rates of $0.4553 per therm for low winter use and $0.5236 per therm for high winter use. The new rates represent a decrease of $0.0761 per therm from the rates previously proposed for this winter.
If the new rates are approved, residential heating customers would see an average monthly savings of 13 percent, or $23.60, compared to last winter. Based on this proposal, over the six month winter period, residential heating customers would save approximately $140 on heating costs this winter. The cost of gas adjustment is normally set every six months to reflect changes in wholesale gas supply costs. Declining projected natural gas prices for this winter facilitated the new proposal.
“Hopefully, these lower rates will help ease the burden winter heating costs can have on families, especially considering the current economic climate,” Unitil Media Relations Manager Alec O’Meara said.
Unitil expects an order from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities prior to the end of the month.
