Unitil Corp. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Co. (FG&E), filed for a decrease in its Cost of Gas Adjustment rates with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (MDTE). Pending MDTE approval, the proposed rates would go into effect for the winter period from Nov. 1, 2001-April 30, 2002. The proposed rate decrease compared, to winter rates in effect last April, ranges from 20% to 31% lower, depending on the rate class. A typical residential heating customer using 150 therms of gas per month will see a winter bill of $142.77, the corporation said. This is a decrease of $44.16, or 23.6% compared to winter rates in effect last April, and a decrease of $23.15, or 14.0% compared to rates currently in effect for the 2001 summer period.

The decrease is primarily due to lower projected gas commodity costs during the upcoming winter period, the company said. As of October 31, 2001, Unitil/FG&E expects to have completed recovery of the under-collection of gas costs, which occurred last winter during the period of extremely high wholesale gas costs.

Unitil is a public utility holding company with subsidiaries providing electric service in New Hampshire and electric and gas service in Massachusetts and energy services throughout the Northeast. Its subsidiaries include Concord Electric Co., Exeter & Hampton Electric Co., Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Co., Unitil Power Corp., Unitil Realty Corp., Unitil Service Corp., and its unregulated business unit Unitil Resources, Inc

Publication date: 10/01/2001