PA · gas · R-2023-3044549
Closed case·Complete·Authorized
The approved revenue increase was about 40% below the corrected utility position. The settlement consolidated two gas rate divisions and did not specify an authorized ROE, rate base, capital structure, or component disallowances.
Peoples requested $156.0 million in additional annual revenue and later corrected its litigation position to $153.7 million. The Commission approved a $93.0 million black-box settlement, effective September 27, 2024.
Sep 27, 2024
Not scheduled
Case stage
complete
Filed
Dec 29, 2023
Testimony
Not recorded
Hearings
Not recorded
Briefing
Not recorded
Decision
Sep 12, 2024
Rates effective
Sep 27, 2024
State rules
This docket is a full base-rate review. Selected charges can change on separate schedules without reopening every issue in this case.
Full base-rate review
No fixed recurring interval
A utility initiates a general rate increase by filing a new tariff. It cannot file another general increase for the same service until the prior request is decided or its maximum suspension period expires.
Rate period: Case-specific; Pennsylvania law sets the filing and decision clock rather than a standard single-year or multi-year plan.
Governing rule ↗Between full reviews
Purchased gas cost recovery
Annual rate · quarterly reconciliation
Large gas distributors file an annual gas-cost tariff and quarterly recalculations. Material differences can change the tariff between annual proceedings, with over- and under-collections reconciled.
Governing source ↗Distribution System Improvement Charge
Quarterly updates · annual reconciliation
An approved DSIC can recover eligible distribution investment between base-rate cases. The formula is updated quarterly and reconciled annually, subject to the utility's approved long-term infrastructure plan.
Governing source ↗Commission decision
Utility request and Commission-authorized outcome.
| Metric | Utility request | Authorized outcome | Like-for-like difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual revenue increase | $156M Annual utility request | $93M Prior authorized observation · Sep 12, 2024 | +$63M |
| Rate base | $4,215.13M Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Dec 29, 2023 | Not specified Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Sep 12, 2024 | — |
| Return on equity | 11.75% Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Dec 29, 2023 | Not specified Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Sep 12, 2024 | — |
| Common equity ratio | 54.67% Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Dec 29, 2023 | Not specified Authorized base-rate common-equity ratio; no standalone value adopted in the black-box settlement · Sep 12, 2024 | — Not compared: scope, period differ |
| Residential bill impact | Not available Not captured in current case sources | 11.9% Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 · Sep 12, 2024 | — |
4 events · 6 documents · 8 citations
Material filings, hearings, orders, and effective dates.
Dec 29, 2023
General rate application filed
official commission · completed
Jan 2, 2024
Rate increase filing posted by Commission
official commission · completed
Sep 12, 2024
Commission approved settlement
official commission · completed
Sep 27, 2024
Authorized rates became effective
official commission · completed
Docket and evidence documents linked to this proceeding.
Peoples Natural Gas rate-case docket
official docket · primary · —
Essential Utilities Peoples rate-case disclosure
evidence · primary · Aug 6, 2025
Pennsylvania PUC opinion and order adopting the Peoples Natural Gas 2024 settlement
evidence · direct · Sep 12, 2024
PA PUC rate-filing discovery — R-2023-3044549
evidence · direct · Jan 2, 2024
Peoples Natural Gas 2024 rate filing — direct testimony
evidence · direct · Dec 29, 2023
Peoples Natural Gas 2024 rate filing — cost of service schedules
evidence · direct · Dec 29, 2023
Field-level excerpts and review metadata supporting material facts.
PA PUC rate-filing discovery — R-2023-3044549
pa puc daily action search · Jan 2, 2024
Peoples Natural Gas 2024 rate filing — cost of service schedules
application exhibit · Dec 29, 2023
Peoples Natural Gas 2024 rate filing — direct testimony
application testimony · Dec 29, 2023
Pennsylvania PUC opinion and order adopting the Peoples Natural Gas 2024 settlement
final order · Sep 12, 2024
Pennsylvania PUC opinion and order adopting the Peoples Natural Gas 2024 settlement
final order · Sep 12, 2024
Peoples Natural Gas rate-case docket
commission docket · —
Pennsylvania PUC opinion and order adopting the Peoples Natural Gas 2024 settlement
final order · Sep 12, 2024
Essential Utilities Peoples rate-case disclosure
sec filing · Aug 6, 2025
Stage-preserving economics and party positions as published in the canonical record.
| Metric | Stage | Party | Period | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential monthly bill impact | authorized | party-commission | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | 11.9% | |
| Common equity ratio | utility request | Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | 54.67% | |
| Overall rate of return | authorized | party-commission | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | Not specified | |
| Overall rate of return | utility request | Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | 8.4% | |
| Rate base | authorized | party-commission | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | Not specified | |
| Rate base | utility request | Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | $4,215.13M | |
| Return on equity | authorized | party-commission | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | Not specified | |
| Return on equity | utility request | Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | 11.75% | |
| Annual revenue change | utility rebuttal | Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC | Fully projected future test year ending September 30, 2025 | $153.66M | |
| Common equity ratio | authorized | party-commission | — | Not specified | |
| Annual revenue change | authorized | party-commission | — | $93M | |
| Annual revenue change | utility request | party-utility | — | $156M |