A proposed decrease to electric and natural gas fuel rates could lower the average residential customer’s monthly bill by $9.72, according to an announcement made at the March 18 Utilities Board meeting. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposal at its regular meeting on March 24. If approved, the new rates would take effect April 1.
The potential reduction in fuel rates is due to lower forecasted natural gas prices for 2026. This adjustment would impact both electric and natural gas customers, with residential users seeing a combined decrease of approximately $9.72 per month on their bills.
For electric cost adjustments, residential customers would see a $2.10 decrease (1.9%), commercial customers an $18.00 decrease (2.6%), and industrial customers a $1,293.20 decrease (3.1%). For natural gas cost adjustments, residential customers would see a $7.62 decrease (15.2%), commercial customers a $157.35 decrease (20.4%), and industrial customers a $1,573.56 decrease (21%); these figures assume average usage and may vary based on individual consumption patterns.
The last change in fuel rates occurred in July 2025, when the average residential monthly bill increased by about $0.25.
Fuel rates are directly tied to the cost of fuel and can be adjusted quarterly as costs fluctuate throughout the year—typically in January, April, July, and October—since this nonprofit utility passes changes directly to its customers up to four times annually.
To help protect against market volatility, strategies such as purchasing natural gas when demand is low, storing supply underground, and using long-range planning tools are employed to lock in stable prices for portions of supply.
Customers seeking assistance with energy costs have access to several programs: Budget Billing helps spread costs evenly over the year; Project COPE provided more than $1.5 million in assistance to local families in 2025; and LEAP offers winter utility assistance from November through April.
