Natural gas costs rise in southern Michigan

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Natural gas costs rise in southern Michigan and Upper Peninsula The Associated Press 9/29/00 5:25 PM

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Customers of Michigan Gas Utilities and Northern States Power-Wisconsin will pay $15 to $24 more per month this winter because of increases in the market price of natural gas, the Michigan Public Service Commission says.

On Thursday, the PSC approved a revised cost of $5.30 per thousand cubic feet for Michigan Gas Utilities customers, up from the $3.81 per thousand cubic feet the commission had approved on June 19.

The PSC said that will mean $15 more per month for the company's customers through December. Without the revised cost, Michigan Gas Utilities would face losses of at least $16.8 million, the PSC said.

The PSC also approved a revised cost of 64 cents per therm for Northern States Power customers, up from 40 cents per therm in April.

That will increase gas customers' bills by about $24 through March, the PSC said. The PSC estimated the company would lose $1.8 million from its Michigan customers without the cost revision.

Michigan Gas Utilities, headquartered in Monroe, provides natural gas service to about 150,000 customers in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Monroe, Muskegon, Ottawa, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties.

Northern States Power-Wisconsin, headquartered in Eau Claire, Wis., provides natural gas service to about 4,000 Michigan customers in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties.

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?g7818_BC_MI--PSC-GasCosts&&news&newsflash-financial

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 29, 2000


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