Natural gas rates are set to increase in much of Oregon starting Nov. 1.
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission announced last week that these increases are a direct result of last year’s pipeline explosion in Canada. The 2018 explosion disrupted gas flows from British Columbia to southern Oregon.
The commission approved gas price increases for three regulated companies: Avista, Cascade Natural and Northwest Natural.
Avista customers will see the biggest jump at 10 percent. They’ll also see an additional 2.5 percent general rate increase in mid-January. That means the average residential Avista customer will pay an additional $7 a month.
The company provides gas to much of eastern and southern Oregon.
The commission notes that Oregon gas customers have seen annual price decreases since 2009, except for a couple of years.
Cascade Natural customers will see an 8.5 percent increase; the average residential customer will pay an additional $4 a month. Northwest Natural customers will see a 2.4 percent increase; the average residential customer will pay an additional $2 a month.