AUGUSTA, Maine - A Maine Public Utilities Commission staff report has prompted the city of Augusta to seek intervenor status in a Maine Natural Gas rate increase request.
The PUC staff recommends that costs associated with the company's expansion in the Augusta area be funded only by customers living in that area of service, rather than all of the state's customers served by MNG.
Augusta City Manager Bill Bridgeo says that would raise Augusta gas rates by 9 percent.
"Clearly the mayor and the city council have concerns that this approach is unfairly burdening the residences and small businesses of Augusta," Bridgeo says, "and that would be the reason they're asking our law firm to intervene to preserve the right to protect the interests of Augusta in this matter."
A spokesman for the gas company said his firm shares Augusta's concerns, and is in the process of filing a response to the commission.