A consumer session public hearing will be held Tuesday, March 11 in Carson City for a proposed 4.49 percent rate hike from Southwest Gas that would amount to a $3.77 average monthly increase on Northern Nevada single-family residential customers.
Nevada law requires natural gas utilities to file annual rate adjustment applications to review the reasonableness and prudence of gas procurement practices and other costs for the past year.
In addition to this review, the application adjusts the variable interest expense and unrecovered gas cost expense, according to Nevada PUC. Also adjusted are program rates for conservation and energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as general revenue adjustment rates. The rates associated with the Mesquite and Spring Creek infrastructure expansions also will be reviewed in this application.
The annual rate adjustment application, also known as the application for deferred energy accounting adjustment, is separate from the application that adjusts the general rates primarily related to facility infrastructure and from the quarterly gas cost filings that passes through the recorded costs of natural gas, according to Nevada PUC.
For Southern Nevada customers, Southwest Gas proposes to increase the average single-family residential customer monthly bill by $3.05, or 5.21 percent.
The PUCN may approve rates as proposed, or decrease or increase rates as necessary to ensure rates are just and reasonable. Public comment regarding this application will be accepted in person or telephonically at the consumer session.
Written comments also may be submitted to the PUCN electronically through the Electronic Filing System on the PUCN’s website, by hand-delivery, or via U.S. Mail. Public comment is limited to the contents of the application and speakers may be limited to three minutes.
The consumer session, which will be video conferenced between the PUCN’s Carson City and Las Vegas offices, is scheduled as follows:
Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 6 p.m.
Live telephone conference: 775-321-6111
Use this access code for telephone conference: 450 234 171# Written comments via U.S. Mail to be addressed as follows: PUCN
Attn: Docket No. 24-11005
1150 E. William St., Carson City; or 9075 West Diablo Drive, Suite 250, Las Vegas, Nev.
Representatives from the Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP) will participate in the consumer session. The BCP, which is part of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office (775-684-1100), represents the public interest and intervenes in PUCN proceedings on behalf of all residential and small business customers. PUCN Regulatory Operations Staff and SWG representatives will also attend.
Information about the SWG application can be found on the PUCN’s website at puc.nv.gov. From the top navigational bar on the home page, select “Dockets” to view Docket No. 24-11005.
For information regarding the consumer session, contact the PUCN at (702) 486-7210 or (775) 684-6101. A hearing on this application is scheduled to begin Wednesday, May 7, at 10 a.m. A live link to the hearing will be available on the PUCN’s website. On the homepage, click on “Calendar – LISTEN LIVE!” to find that link.
