The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming

PSC

PUBLIC NOTICE

1. Pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act and the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s (Commission) Procedural Rules and Special Regulations, notice is hereby given of the application of Black Hills Wyoming Gas, LLC (BHWG or the Company) for authority to implement a general rate increase of $19,262,412 per annum and extend its Wyoming Integrity Rider (WIR).

2.BHWG is a public utility as defined by Wyoming Statute § 37-1-101(a)(vi)(D) which provides natural gas public utility service under Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by the Commission. BHWG is subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of Wyoming Statute § 37-2-112.

3. BHWG’s principal place of business located at 1301 W. 24th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82001. BHWG provides natural gas service to approximately 133,000 customers throughout Wyoming.

4. BHWG filed this Application on May 18, 2023, requesting authority to increase its natural gas utility service rates by approximately $19,262,412 per annum. The Company requests a 10.49% return on equity resulting in an overall return of 7.73% on rate base. The Company requests an effective date of February 1, 2024.

5. In the Application, BHWG provided the average bill impact to customers if the Commission approves the rates, as requested. This information is contained in the chart below. Due to rate design and individual customer load factors and usage characteristics, the percentage rate change to individual customers within each rate schedule may be higher or lower than the average. The impact on individual bills may vary from the proposed increase in rates. Further, the rates ultimately approved by the Commission on an individual customer class basis may be lower or greater than those being proposed by the Company. Customers interested in knowing exactly how the natural gas rate proposals would affect their actual bills should contact BHWG at: http://www.blackhillsenergy.com.

Customer Class Current Rates Bill Amount Requested Rates Bill Amount Monthly Change % Change

Residential Service

65 Therms $89.83 $96.58 $6.74 7.51%

Small General Service

155 Therms $193.19 $206.89 $13.70 7.09%

Medium General Service

893 Therms $978.99 $1,037.71 $58.72 6.00%

Large General Service

6,740 Therms $6,582.07 $6,940.63 $358.56 5.45%

6. BHWG states the proposed rate increase is the result of current rates not reflecting the cost of providing natural gas service to customers.

7. This is not a complete description of the Application. The Application is on file with the Commission at its offices located at 2515 Warren Avenue, in Cheyenne, Wyoming and at all BHWG offices. The Application may be inspected by any interested person during regular business hours or online at: https://dms.wyo.gov/external/publicusers.aspx (Enter Record No. 17312).

8. Anyone desiring to file a statement, protest, intervention or to request a public hearing in these matters must so file, in writing, with the Commission, on or before June 23, 2023. The petition(s) shall set forth the grounds of the proposed intervention(s) or request(s) for hearing and the position and interest of the petitioner in these proceedings.

9. If you wish to intervene in these matters and/or request a public hearing which you will attend and you require reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the Wyoming Public Service Commission at (307) 777-7427 or write to them at 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, to make arrangements. Communications impaired persons may also contact the Commission by accessing Wyoming Relay by dialing 711. Please mention Docket No. 30026-78-GR-23 (Record No. 17312) in your communications and contact us as soon as possible to help us serve you better.

Dated: May 22, 2023

Publish: May 25 and June 1, 2023

 
 
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