A bill rider is a utility charge, separate from standard base rates, that allows us to recover the costs of specific programs or projects. Bill riders are temporary. This accelerated work was not included in our five‑year financial plan because the federal notice came after the plan had already been proposed to City Council.
What this means for your bill
If approved, the bill impact would be:
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Residential customers: +$8.54 per month on the natural gas bill (a 17% increase), which is a 2.9% increase to the total four‑service utility bill
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Commercial and industrial customers: +$18.00 per month
The program of work is estimated at $90 million from 2026 to 2029. In the interest of keeping the five-year rate case as it was originally proposed in 2024, if approved, the bill rider would likely be in place through 2029. At that point, an evaluation would take place on whether to continue the bill rider, or fund the required program through natural gas base rates.
Why this work matters
A required part of our natural gas program is assessing and replacing all bare steel gas mains and service lines, which are more likely to corrode. The accelerated work means we would replace about 39 miles of infrastructure each year. These projects improve long‑term safety and reliability.
In the short term, some customers may see construction in their area or experience temporary natural gas service interruptions as crews safely replace pipeline segments or service lines.
What happens next
The next steps include:
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April 14, 2026: Rate Hearing at City Council
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April 28, 2026: City Council Decision and Order
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July 1, 2026: Rates effective
(All dates are subject to change. Please check City Council agendas to confirm.)
