On the rise
Atmos Energy raises area cities gas cost
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Atmos Energy Corporation has filed to increase gas rate costs in over 430 cities. Among this number are the cities of Chandler, Brownsboro and Murchison.

Darwin Winfield, manager of public affairs for Atmos, said the rate increase the corporation filed for will amount to a total of $51.9 million in additional charges divided among all of Atmos' customers in the 439 cities.

"The actual increase," Winfield said, "comes to an average of an additional $1.57 a month for a household's gas usage."

Winfield added that households in those cities consume an average of 6,000 cubic feet of natural gas each month

David Park, vice president of Atmos Energy Corporation's rates and regulatory affairs, said a typical monthly gas bill is around $70.85 per month before the rate increase.

"It's a fairly marginal increase," Park +

said, "but we are concerned about all our customers and the effect it has on them."

The city councils of Chandler, Brownsboro and Murchison each met at their scheduled times to discuss the rate increase.

Chandler decided to deny the rate increase, forcing the matter to court, according to Winfield. Brownsboro suspended the rate increase, adding 90 days to the normal 35 day period of appeals, and Murchison's city council took no action on the increase.

Winfield said the decision to increase Atmos' rates was arrived at when the corporation looked at its operating and maintenance costs.

"The majority of the increase is to help Atmos recover operating and maintenance expenses as well as putting new pipe in the ground for new customers," Winfield said.

Park said Atmos is proud of the service it provides, and added Atmos avoids rate increases when possible.

"We don't like requesting rate increases any more than our customers like seeing them," Park said.

Though the increase is small, Park also said Atmos offers programs for those having trouble with their monthly bills.

"We're working with the cities to try and reach an agreement on a resolution to the case," Park said.

Winfield said the new rate won't go into action until it passes through all 439 cities. In effect, passing the rate increase will be as fast for a city taking no action on the resolution as it as it will for a city suspending it.