Oregon regulators will hold a half-day forum on natural gas Thursday, preparing for the third annual fall retail rate adjustment for three private-sector gas utilities operating in the state. The Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) three members reportedly want to hear from a “wide range of experts” on gas supply/price prospects for both this summer and winter.

The state’s three major gas distribution utilities — Northwest Natural Gas, Avista Utilities, and Cascade Natural Gas — will make presentations. Northwest Natural by far is the largest operator in Oregon with 501,000 customers, compared with Spokane, WA-based Avista’s 82,000 in Oregon and Idaho-based Cascade’s 47,000.

Through a so-called “purchased gas adjustment” (PGA), the Oregon PUC in October will reflect recent changes in wholesale natural gas prices in the rates it sets for the three utilities, which can move up or down. Following this session, the utilities make their individual PGA filings this summer, and the PUC holds hearings and makes a final determination in October.

“The companies make no profit in these adjustments,” said a PUC spokesperson, noting these are strictly cost recovery adjustments. “The forum also addresses differences between forecasted gas costs in the previous year with actual costs in 2004.”

Among the topics and groups the PUC has scheduled to hear on Thursday are (1) perspectives from the major stakeholders, such as a citizen utility board, large industrial customers, Oregon’s state energy department, major interstate natural gas pipelines and major electric utilities. Separately a local utility distribution company panel will address some of the following questions:

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