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May 23, 2008

Electricity and natural gas rate hikes proposed for R.I.

Just as consumers are facing higher food and gasoline costs, it appears that Rhode Islanders are about to get hit with significant increases in their electricity and natural gas bills.

National Grid this afternoon has proposed raising electricity rates by 15.6 percent and natural gas rates by 10 percent, both as of July 1.

Both increases would be the largest since the huge jumps in 2006 when rates were pushed higher as a result of the effects of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

A typical customer that has both gas and electricity would pay an extra $22 a month if both increases are approved by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, according to National Grid.

“In both cases … it’s a direct result of increases in the costs of natural gas and oil,” said David Graves, a spokesman for National Grid. “That’s what’s driving it.”

National Grid is Rhode Island’s dominant utility company, providing electricity service to 477,000 customers in 38 communities, and natural gas to about 245,000 customers in 33 communities. The company filed its rate increase proposals with the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission earlier today.

-- Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 5:58 PM | Permalink

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Steve Micke | May 23, 2008 8:46 PM link

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