Show t No Wr f 1 r No Im Immediate ln Increase s Seen en in in Natural Gas Rates in Moab No natural ga gas rates Is It seen for MO Moab b for the near future stated Mr Ed E. E Drake brake local manager of Utah Gas Service Ser Set vice company when this week lit itt regard to a recent announcement an an- of a request teqUeS for increased increased in in- creased rates by NO west Pipeline corporation which has hu resulted in les as to th the effect fe of t Utah Gas Gaa S company Mr Drake ard Utah Gas bas as Service is an In Independent utility serving Moab MonticellO and Vernal with wilh natural gas p pucha- pucha purchased r tal ed from Irom Pacific Northwest Northwest- Of ot course any permanent Increase granted to the pipeline will wilt ultimately ul affect the residential l consumer he stated However it should h b be noted that has merely filed an application for the Increase crease with the Federal Power commission This application will be scheduled ed at some future date for lor a public public public pub pub- lic hearing and testimony in Washington Vigorous opposition to this increase has been pledged by the State Public Service com corn h. h Colorado Color do Oregon Ore Oregon gon arid and Washl Washington In tn n addition all customers such as Colorado Interstate te Pipeline company Mountain Fuel Supply comp company ny Washington Natural Gas company company com pany and Portland Gas and Coke company to naine inre Ji i a few lew wilt file briefs and Jut testimony opposing opposing op- op posing the Increase he went wenton on to state Opposes Rate Rafe Hike Utah Gas Service company will file a formal protest and will have counsel attending the public hearing in Washington Mr Drake stated when asked what the local company's position post post- tion would be in regards to the proposed hike in natural gas rates t t. t The local manager went on to I explain that he felt that such concerted opposition would delay delay delay de de- de- de lay the granting of an Increase or materially affect the amount of increase which the Federal agency would grant This opinion ion Jon he stated Is based on the fact that Pacific has not had a full lull years year's normal operation and therefore any earnings statements on on which requests for lor increase are based would be estimates m rather thi Mr Rate Hike Il Not t Possible As At to the affect on the residential resl resi tei- and commercial conium consumers era ers In Moab Monticello and Vernal Ver I nal no nit immediate change Jr In rates Is possible Companies ar are closely reg regulated lat d by the Utah Public Service commission with regard to earning pI pIUs tt Us Invest Invest- mont ment Any appreciable ble Variation In the earning rate results In a recommendation by th the commission commis commis' slon sion that the utility rates be revised either u up or down so that the accepted earning of approximately approximately approximately ap ap- proximately 6 per cent will be approached he went on to state Therefore if Jf an Increase e Js Is ultimately granted to the pipeline pipeline pipe pipe- line company thus Increasing the cost of or gas purchased by Utah Gas Service then a slight Increase Increase In In- crease may become necessary In domestic rates but any such Increase increase In in- crease will be granted only after formal application and a p public hearing and tons consideration Ide ration by the I Public Service commission he he concluded |