PSC Approves Lower Gas Rates for Summit Customers

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Arkansas natural gas customers will pay less per cubic foot on their bills this winter than they have for the past three years.

Summit Utilities, the state’s largest natural gas supplier with some 425,000 in-state meters, received approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission on Wednesday to bill customers about 80 cents per hundred cubic feet of gas. That’s down from $1.22 per ccf last year and about 90 cents per ccf in 2021.

It is still well above 2020’s 44 cent rate, but is down 34% from last year.

“Our team is dedicated to obtaining the lowest natural gas prices for our customers, and we are grateful customers will see lower bills this winter than they saw last year,” said Fred Kirkwood, Summit’s chief customer experience offer.

“We encourage customers who face challenges paying their bills to call our customer service department for details on payment and billing options and information on payment assistance programs that can help you and your family be safe and warm this winter,” Kirkwood said in a news release.

The Public Service Commission, which cleared Summit of price-gouging accusations after thousands of customer complaints last winter, requires gas cost adjustments at the beginning of April and November each year. Summit and other gas utilities do not profit from the cost of gas delivered to homes and businesses.

Summit, based in the Denver area, owns gas distribution subsidiaries in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. It acquired Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Co. in 2017 and completed a $2.15 billion purchase of CenterPoint Energy’s Arkansas and Oklahoma distribution assets in January 2022.

AOG’s 45,000 residential gas customers in Arkansas will pay about 53 cents per hundred cubic feet, some 52% less than last winter, the company said. Black Hills Energy customers will face bills about 33% lower, with a rate of 47 cents per ccf as opposed to last year’s 70 cents.

Overall, Summit entities serve about 625,000 customers and operate more than 23,400 miles of pipeline.