A public comment session next week will focus on Delmarva Power’s request for an increase in its natural gas rates by nearly $19.5 million.
Delmarva Power customers in Delaware could see their natural gas bills increase if Delaware’s Public Service Commission (PSC) approves a request to raise rates.
"So Delmarva Power filed in January to increase the natural gas rates by about 20%," said Delaware Public Advocate Drew Slater. "That is largely due to the spending on main replacement - is largely what it’s due to. But it comes on the heels of the Commission having approved a $6.7 million increase last January - so January of 2021.”
Slater says the overall cost to customers - depending on usage - would be between $7- to $14 per month or $84- to $150 per year for an average residential customer.
Tuesday’s public comment session on the proposed increase is at 6 p.m. at the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington - with a call-in option available if people cannot attend in person.
“We really need folks to come and share their opinions," Slater said. "We saw in the electric case that Delmarva filed and the Commission awarded in January of this year - 2022 - that public comment had a very large impact on some of the things that were done in that case - especially around over voltage events.
If you can’t make the session in-person, there will be a teleconference line available at 1-866-299-7945. The access code is #5979551#.
Slater says Delmarva Power notes in its application that the extra money is needed to replace cast iron mains in their delivery pipelines.
Next month, Delaware residents begin getting $300 rebate relief checks to help offset rising gas and grocery store prices due to inflation; married couples get a total of $600.
For couples, Delmarva’s plan would eat up about 14% of that $600 if their natural gas usage is average.
Delmarva Power has 324,000 electric customers in Delaware and 136,000 natural gas customers in the First State.
