Utilities commission set to deny Southwest Gas petition

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada is poised to deny a petition asking the agency to reconsider its recent decision in the Southwest Gas rate case.

The commission decided on Oct. 28 to reduce by 2.5 percent the rates local utility Southwest Gas charges for natural gas. But Eric Witkoski, the state consumer advocate assigned to protect the interests of utility ratepayers, said the commission could have lowered rates even more, by as much as 8.3 percent.

His argument: The commission could have considered additional natural-gas pricing data that would have given consumers significantly more relief. Witkoski filed a petition on Nov. 13 asking the commission to reconsider its decision and cut rates additionally.

Southwest Gas, which offered the extra pricing statistics, filed statements supporting Witkoski's position.

In a draft order, the commission calls for Witkoski's petition to be denied because staffers haven't had the opportunity to evaluate the newest figures for their "reasonableness and prudence." The commission's order states that setting rates based on gas costs that they'll investigate later violates Nevada law, because it could result in imposing unreasonable rates on consumers.

The draft order isn't final. The commission will discuss the order and issue a final decision Wednesday.