Utilities Board rules on Aquila rate case

Over 140-thousand natural gas customers in Iowa will see their rates drop after a settlement agreement reached by the Iowa Utilities Board Tuesday. Board spokesman Rob Hillesland says the board approved a two-point-five-eight percent rate increase for Aquila Networks. Hillesland says that’s substantially below what the company had requested. He says they had requested a permanent increase of five-point-eight percent increase, and the board had granted a temporary three-point-four-two percent increase while it heard the arguments for and against the rate proposal. Hillesland says Aquila customers will likely get a rebate since the final rate approved was below the temporary rate approved by the board. He says the refunds won’t be significant because the temporary rate was not in effect for very long. He says the new rate will show up on bills in the next few weeks. He says the new rate will be about 12 cents a month lower than the current rates being paid. Aquila serves mainly the northeast and north-central Iowa areas of Iowa. Some of the cities served by the company are Dubuque, Newton, Spencer and Council Bluffs.