Natural gas users can go back to normal, though conserving is still advised: FortisBC
Posted December 18, 2018 4:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — More than two months after an Enridge gas pipeline exploded near Prince George, natural gas users around the province no longer have to conserve energy.
Doug Stout, FortisBC’s president of market development and and external relations, says recent warm weather helped build up supplies to their normal levels, but interim rate hikes are still slated to take effect Jan. 1st. More than a million customers will see costs climb approximately nine per cent, which works out to $68 a year for the average use.
“That really reflects increased costs we had to pay for natural gas in November and December due to the shortages in the region that drove up the short-term price of natural gas,” Stout says. “I mean it makes sense for folks if they can to conserve energy, it’s going to save them money.”
He says the pipeline is operating at about 85 per cent capacity consistently and that will be in place for the rest of the winter.
“We’d like to thank everybody for all their efforts over the last couple months and putting up with this inconvenience. It’s not fun, but everybody pulling together, we managed to get through it, so it’s very good news.”
