(BERLIN, MD—September 14, 2016)—A second public comment hearing will be held onTuesday, September 20, 2016 at 6:30pm for Sandpiper Energy Inc.’s application to increase its natural gas and propane rates. A public hearing was held in March of this year; the second hearing concerns a proposed settlement agreement in the case among Sandpiper, the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel and the Staff of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
The hearing will be held at Stephen Decatur High School (Auditorium), 9913 Seahawk Road in Berlin. Members of the public who wish to comment on the matter are welcome to attend the proceeding before Public Utility Law Judge Robert H. McGowan.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, residential customer volumetric rates based on usage will decrease over time, but the $4.50 fixed monthly customer charge will initially increase to $6.50, $8 or $10 depending on the customer’s rate class, and then remain the same until the Commission approves any future changes. In addition, the proposed settlement calls for several new non-recurring charges and creates additional commercial rate classes based on usage levels.
The proposed settlement, among other changes, will authorize financial incentives for builders who install gas or propane in multi-family housing units, and allow poultry houses to bypass the minimum consumption requirements usually needed to qualify for a negotiated rate for gas delivery service.
The application has been docketed by the Commission as Case No. 9410. Case filings and associated pleadings in the matter are available in the electronic docket file (9410) which may be viewed or downloaded at www.psc.state.md.us. Sandpiper serves nearly 11,000 residential, commercial and industrial natural gas and propane customers in Worcester County, Maryland.
Members of the public may also submit written comments by Friday, September 30, 2016 to:
David J. Collins, Executive Secretary
Maryland Public Service Commission
William Donald Schaefer Tower
6 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Please be sure to include the case number 9410 with all comments. In addition to the mailed comments, the public is encouraged to use the Commission’s e-file system at www.psc.state.md.us/efile/ to provide an electronic copy of their comments.