National Grid proposes small increase in winter electricity rates

NATIONAL GRID RHODE ISLAND commercial and industrial customers would see up to an 11% increase in their winter electricity bills under rates submitted to the R.I. Public Utilities Commission. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MARK S. MURPHY

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island residents and businesses would again see their electric bills go up this winter, although they won’t be paying as much as last winter, under new rates proposed by National Grid Rhode Island.

The company said in a statement on Tuesday it has submitted its standard offer services – the electricity rates offered to residential, commercial and industrial customers – for the six months starting Oct. 1 to the R.I. Public Utilities Commission for approval.

The proposed rates would increase average monthly rates though the rates are lower than those set for the same time last year – the second year in a row of declining prices, the release stated.

The proposed residential rate of 10.37 cents per kilowatt hour would increase average bills by $10.78 compared with the current “summer rate,” about a 10% increase. The “winter rate” last year averaged $10.96 per kilowatt hour.

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Prices in the region increase in the winter due to constraints on natural gas pipelines, National Grid said.

Commercial and industrial customers in the state would see their bills increase between 6% and 11% depending on their size and usage based on an average proposed fixed-price of 9.33 cents per kilowatt hour.

Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.

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