Gas bills to increase slightly

Residents who buy natural gas through South Carolina Electric & Gas could see their bills go up slightly more than a $1 a month on average under a proposed rate increase.

SCE&G said it filed a request Friday to raise prices 0.87 percent overall.

If the Public Service Commission is approves the request, residential users would pay about $13.50 more a year — or $1.12 a month — based on average annual usage, the Columbia-based utility said.

The commission is expected to make a decision in October. The higher rates would show up in the first billing cycle of November if approved.

The proposed increase breaks out as follows: 1.48 percent for residential customers; 0.62 percent for small and medium commercial customers; and 0.48 percent for large commercial and industrial customers.

The increase is being sought under a 2005 statute that allows "for more efficient recovery of the costs that regulated utilities incur in expanding, improving and maintaining natural gas service infrastructure to meet the needs of customers."

SCE&G provides natural gas to approximately 305,000 users in its service territory.