(Des Moines)– Black Hills Energy has begun charging an average $1.80 a month more to IOwa residential gas customers. The increase went into effect Thursday (Feb. 10th).
The company says the Iowa Utilities Board approved a general revenue increase of 2.1 percent.
In early January, the board had rejected a settlement agreement between the Iowa Office of Consumer Advocate and the South Dakota-based Black Hills Energy. That agreement included a 2.9 percent revenue increase.
Black Hills Energy, which is based in Rapid City, S.D., says it sought the increase to recover the costs of capital investments in its Iowa distribution system and other expenses.
Black Hills says the rate increase will be barely noticeable in gas bills because customers have been paying the rates on an interim basis since last June.
(Story from the Associated Press).
