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Natural gas bills going up

Okanagan residents will be paying a little bit more for natural gas next year.

An increase to FortisBC's delivery rate will mean the average residential bill will go up by about $15 a year for many customers in the Interior and Lower Mainland.

The delivery charge is the portion of the bill through which the utility takes its earnings. It also covers maintaining and making improvements to the natural gas system. 

The bump was approved by the BC Utilities Commission and takes effect Jan. 1, 2017.

"We recognize that customers expect us to keep rates as low as possible while providing safe, reliable service," said Diane Roy, vice-president of regulatory affairs at FortisBC.

The storage and transport rate on the bill has decreased slightly "due to mitigation measures we’ve put in place," said Roy.

Meanwhile, customers in Whistler will see their bill drop by about $160 and those on Vancouver Island will see a decrease of $44. Propane customers in Revelstoke will see their bill go up by about $65 a year.

The cost of actual natural gas is unchanged.



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