The North Dakota Public Service Commission is investigating the impact of Februaryâs extreme cold weather on the stateâs utility sector and plans to ask natural gas providers to spread out the impact of price spikes on customersâ bills to avoid sticker shock.
The regulators intend to request information from the providers about how they have responded to the weather.
Montana-Dakota Utilities spokesman Mark Hanson told the Tribune the company anticipates the average residential gas customer will have to pay an additional $80 to $100 to cover a spike in gas prices brought on by the frigid air that extended down the middle of the country from North Dakota to Texas in mid-February. The company likely wonât seek to begin collecting that money until fall and plans to do so over the course of 12 months, he said.