And now I wonder if they will start to make threats just as the Power Co. is doing. One can only wait and see.

I know it is complex, but this article is poorly written. Did rates go up or down? They mention three rate changes. What was the combined effect of the three rate changes?

This article is so poorly written. I agree with Im confused....I am confused too what was the real net effect of all the increases and decreases this year? One might think that Questar is encouraginin all manner of increases and decreases so that we consumers might not be able to realize what the real net effect is....which in my opionion is probably an overall real increase.

Uh-oh!
A government agency telling a business what to do.
Isn't that socialism?

LOL!

Obviously you guys missed the main statement "The net effect of the three rate changes is an annual decrease of $43.32, or 5.3 percent, for the average household customer. All three changes take effect Nov. 1, said commission spokeswoman Julie Orchard."

There was one decrease for $47.96, then they increased the tarriff charge for 7 cents, then there was a $4.57 increase to pay for management costs. It really isn't all that hard to understand you just need to focus when you read the article!!

Has anyone wondered why Questar should be granted any increase until they convert their vehicles to natural gas and eliminate much of the fleet of full-sized SUVs. It seems the PSC should require this simple no-brain action before considering any rate bump.

Can someone tell me why a natural gas company shouldn't be required to convert their fleet of gas-guzzling vehicles to their own fuel supply before feeding further at the public trough? If its good enough for airport buses and school buses, why not for Questar?

Okay, Deseret News is "sensationalizing" this article. For people paying attention, Questar REQUESTED this rate decrease a few weeks ago. Now the commission is simply getting back to them with how much. The total rate decrease is the total of all decreases in the price of natural gas and the increases in taxes and maintenance costs. Last spring Questar requested a $190 million rate increase and received a $195 million increase instead. Every year Questar has a chance in the spring and fall to have rates adjusted to reflect the current price and expected price of natural gas.

RMP probably can do the same thing. The difference here is that RMP is saying that they aren't getting enough of a rate increase (money) to buy electricity, provide customer service and maintain/expand the infrastructure. So the President is saying in order to continue to buy electricity and bare bones maintain the system on his current budget, he will have to reduce the customer service department (not deny people electricity) and not expand/improve the infrastructure.

I absolutely agree. The right likes to talk of minimal government intervention in the market, but we HAVE to regulate (ie employ large doses of socialism into our so-called "free market") so save us from the greed. Because natural gas is a commodity. I can't change service providers. Capitalism is broken.

Re: Socialism
When an entity like a utility company that has such a huge investment in the infrastructure of delivering the service is controlled by something like the Public Service Commission then that is NOT socialism. It is a means of controlling that entity in such a way that it can still attract investment and not act like a monopoly with price gouging. That said, no one seems to be able to find a better way to control these quasi monopolies.