New common natural gas rate across province will mean savings: FortisBC

SURREY, B.C. – Energy utility FortisBC is preparing to introduce a common provincial rate for natural gas, resulting for some customers in annual savings of more than $200.

The company says the B.C. Utilities Commission has approved its request to modify rates provincewide, and most customers will now pay the same for natural gas no matter where they live.

Starting Jan. 1, 2015, a consistent rate of $3.781/gigajoule will be phased in over three years for all customers in B.C. except those in Fort Nelson.

The company says the change means that its customers in Whistler will save about $212 every year on their natural gas bills, while those in Revelstoke will see a decrease of about $154.

Customers on Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Powell River will pay about $98 less annually, while customers everywhere else, including the Lower Mainland, will only save about $6 per year.

The estimates are based on average residential use in each area, with storage and transport rates also be slightly lessened which factors into the decrease.