The natural gas industry and local governments are among the dozen organizations that are part of a rate settlement approved recently by the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) for PacifiCorp‘s Rocky Mountain Power utility. The settlement authorizes a $44.6 million hike effective Sept. 22. Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC and the Powder River Basin Resource Council, along with the city of Casper and Natrona County, were among the settling parties. The Salt Lake City-based utility originally had asked the PSC to approve a $97.9 million rate increase. A utility spokesperson said even before the agreement the utility had lowered its original request substantially due to federal tax law changes and reduced power costs. Casper’s attorney said the settlement addresses system reliability issues by including a capital improvement plan.

©Copyright 2011Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.