For the second year in a row, NW Natural Gas Co. on Wednesday filed final requests to lower retail gas utility rates for its customers in Oregon and Washington state. The rate adjustments were filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, reflecting the expected cost of wholesale gas purchases in the next year.

The utility seeks to put the adjusted rates in effect Nov. 1.

In Oregon, NW Natural asked for a 1.5% drop in retail rates, meaning an average residential customer would see rates decrease by about $1/month; the average commercial customer would see rates drop by 1.6%, or about $4/month.

In Washington rates would decrease 1.8%, meaning an average residential customer’s bill would be cut by about $1.23/month. Commercial customers would see a 2.1% decrease, equating to a drop in monthly bills of $6.16.

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