TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – The Kansas Corporation Commission recently approved a $35 million rate hike for Kansas Gas Service customers. KSNT compared the Sunflower State’s gas costs to those of the rest of the nation.
The agreement is a settlement rate increase of $35 million, compared to the original $58.1 million the utility had asked for earlier this year. The KCC had originally recommended a $31.7 million rate increase, while the Kansas Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board pushed for a settlement of just $10.8 million. Thursday’s settlement means KGS customers with average use will see their bills increase by $3.83 per month or $46.02 per year.
KSNT used data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to compare prices. Over the last six months, the average national price per thousand cubic feet of natural gas was $18.14. In Kansas, the price was $15.45, placing Kansas 34th in the nation for natural gas prices.
The most expensive state was Hawaii, with a price of $51.79, and the cheapest state was Montana, with a price of $8.66.
The Institute for Energy Research shows Hawaii has no fossil fuel reserves and must import most of its natural gas. Hawaii’s isolated geographic and regulatory environment also plays a key role in its energy prices.
In Montana, the state is one of the greatest contributors to the natural gas and oil industry, generating $7.4 billion for the state’s GDP, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).
“From Montana to Pennsylvania, America’s natural gas and oil workforce is the backbone of communities, supporting nearly 11 million careers throughout the energy supply chain,” API President and CEO Mike Sommers said.”
There are three major factors that impact prices: the amount of natural gas production, the volume of natural gas in storage and the volumes of natural gas imports and exports, according to the EIA. Several other factors such as variations in weather, economic growth and availability of other fuels also play a role in the price of natural gas.
| State | Six Month Average (Dollars per thousand cubic feet) |
| Hawaii | $51.79 |
| West Virginia | $27.62 |
| Florida | $26.39 |
| Georgia | $25.21 |
| Arizona | $22.96 |
| Texas | $21.95 |
| Missouri | $21.81 |
| Rhode Island | $21.73 |
| Massachusetts | $21.62 |
| South Carolina | $21.49 |
| Alabama | $21.18 |
| Nevada | $20.89 |
| North Carolina | $19.97 |
| Mississippi | $19.96 |
| Vermont | $19.66 |
| Kentucky | $19.58 |
| Connecticut | $19.47 |
| New Hampshire | $19.44 |
| Oklahoma | $19.32 |
| District of Columbia | $19.28 |
| Louisiana | $18.94 |
| Virginia | $18.93 |
| Ohio | $18.57 |
| Maryland | $18.57 |
| Washington | $18.53 |
| California | $18.45 |
| Delaware | $18.44 |
| New York | $18.00 |
| Maine | $17.89 |
| Michigan | $17.15 |
| Oregon | $17.12 |
| Pennsylvania | $16.82 |
| Wyoming | $15.50 |
| Kansas | $15.45 |
| Iowa | $15.20 |
| Illinois | $14.75 |
| Indiana | $14.22 |
| Utah | $13.98 |
| New Jersey | $13.94 |
| Nebraska | $13.69 |
| Michagan | $13.65 |
| North Dacota | $13.02 |
| Minnesota | $12.88 |
| Alaska | $12.41 |
| Tennessee | $12.07 |
| Colorado | $12.05 |
| Wisconsin | $12.02 |
| South Dacota | $11.76 |
| Idaho | $11.19 |
| New Mexico | $9.98 |
| Montana | $8.66 |
| National Average | $18.14 |
