At the Utilities Board Regular Meeting held on February 18, 2026, a proposal was made for a Natural Gas Integrity Federal Compliance Charge bill rider. The purpose of this rider is to help fund safety upgrades required by federal regulators for the natural gas system.
In late 2024, federal authorities directed the utility to speed up the replacement of bare steel gas lines. An agreement was reached to complete these replacements within ten years. According to the utility, these upgrades are necessary to maintain safe and reliable natural gas service for its 200,000 customers.
A bill rider is a separate utility charge that covers costs related to specific projects or programs and is temporary in nature. The accelerated work prompted by the federal notice was not part of the existing five-year financial plan because the notification came after the plan had been proposed to City Council.
If approved, residential customers would see an increase of $8.54 per month on their natural gas bills—a 17% rise—which translates into a 2.9% increase on the total four-service utility bill. Commercial and industrial customers would face an $18 monthly increase. The estimated cost of this program is $90 million from 2026 through 2029.
The utility states: “A required part of our natural gas program is assessing and replacing all bare steel gas mains and service lines, which are more likely to corrode. The accelerated work means we would replace about 39 miles of infrastructure each year. These projects improve long‑term safety and reliability.”
Customers may experience construction activity or temporary interruptions in their natural gas service as pipeline segments or service lines are replaced.
The timeline for next steps includes a rate hearing at City Council scheduled for April 14, 2026, followed by a decision and order on April 28, 2026. If approved, new rates would take effect on July 1, 2026. All dates are subject to change.
“We know rate changes can be difficult. If you need assistance paying your bill, we can help,” stated the utility.
