Increase for Intermountain Gas customers

For the first time in five years, Intermountain Gas customers will pay more for natural gas.

For a customer who uses natural gas for space and water heating the increase is about $1.85 per month and for customers who use natural gas for space heating only the average monthly increase is 68 cents, the Idaho Public Utility Commission said Wednesday. For commercial customers, the increase is about $14.18 per month. The money Intermountain Gas collects for the surcharge can go only toward meeting gas supply and related expenses. The surcharge does not increase company earnings.

The commission said the increase is primarily due to an increase in transportation costs billed the company by the Northwest Pipeline and an increase in the weighted average cost of gas. Recent improvements in the economy and increased use of natural gas-fired electric generation have increased demand and driven up costs for natural gas, despite increased production from shale gas reserves.

Intermountain Gas serves about 320,000 customers in 74 communities throughout southern Idaho.