Washington state regulators have imposed a $275,000 penalty on Cascade Natural Gas Corp. and ordered the Kennewick, WA-based utility to issue more than $190,000 in refunds to customers for improper billing practices. Washington’s Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) approved a settlement following a staff investigation that revealed Cascade had violated state laws and rules related to calculating and assessing late-payment charges. Based on the settlement, Cascade will refund $192,258 to customers who were improperly charged between June 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2013, in addition to paying the penalty.

Marabou Superior Pipeline recently completed a 19,000-foot natural gas pipeline and began gas service to the new Arcadia Sand LLC sand mine in Arcadia, WI. The facility is capable of processing up to 310 tons of sand per hour. The project is Marabou’s fourth pipeline serving the burgeoning sand mine industry in Wisconsin. Arcadia contracted with Marabou in 2014 for the design and construction of the six-inch diameter pipeline. Marabou also is the gas supplier to the Arcadia facility under a long-term sales agreement.