Pre-Hearing Conference on Washington Gas’ App to Increase its Rates (9849)

Hearings |

December 29, 2025

ORDER INITIATING DOCKET, SUSPENDING TARIFF REVISIONS, AND SCHEDULING PREHEARING CONFERENCE

On December 29, 2025, Washington Gas Light Company (“Washington Gas” or the “Company”) submitted to the Commission an application for authority to increase its existing rates and charges and to revise the terms and conditions applicable to gas service in its Maryland service territory pursuant to Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Utilities Article (“PUA”) §§ 4-203, 4-204, (“Application”). In support of its Application, Washington Gas also filed supporting testimony, exhibits, data required by the Commission’s general filing requirements, and the proposed rate schedule to be effective July 27, 2026.

Washington Gas proposes an increase in its annual base rate revenues by $82.5 million, with an incremental increase of $67.1 million after the inclusion of the Company’s Commission-approved Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement (“STRIDE”) revenue requirements. Washington Gas’ proposed rate design would result in an average residential customer experiencing an approximate 5.3% increase in their total bill.

Pursuant to Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Utilities Article, §4-204, the Commission concludes that the proposed rates filed by Washington Gas on December 29, 2025 should be suspended for a period of not more than 180 days from January 28, 2026. The suspension period is necessary to provide the Commission with an opportunity to determine the justness and reasonableness of the proposals.

A prehearing conference in this matter is hereby set for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m., in the Frank O. Heintz Hearing Room, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The purpose of the hearing is to set a procedural schedule for this proceeding, consider any petitions to intervene that have been filed, and consider any other preliminary matters requested by the parties. Petitions to intervene shall be filed by Friday, January 23, 2026. Furthermore, discovery commences immediately for Washington Gas, the Commission’s Technical Staff (“Staff”), and the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel (“OPC”).

IT IS, THEREFORE, this 29th day of December in the year Two Thousand Twenty-Six, by the Public Service Commission of Maryland, ORDERED:

  1. that proceedings to consider the Application and the justness and reasonableness of Washington Gas Light Company’s proposed rates, terms, and conditions of its tariff revisions are hereby instituted by the Commission;
  2. that, pursuant to PUA § 4-204(b)(2), the tariff revisions filed by Washington Gas are suspended for an initial period of 180 days from January 28, 2026 with a rate effective date of July 27, 2026;
  3. that discovery commences immediately for Washington Gas, Staff, and OPC;
  4. that interested parties shall file petitions to intervene by January 23, 2026;
  5. that Washington Gas is hereby directed to cause a display advertisement to be published in a newspaper(s) in general circulation throughout its service area at least two times prior to January 23, 2026, that includes a description of the matter on which the
    prehearing conference is being held and the time, date, method, and purpose of the prehearing conference scheduled for January 27, 2026. The notice shall also advise persons who seek to intervene in this proceeding that any petition to intervene shall be e-filed by January 23, 2026, with Andrew S. Johnston, Executive Secretary, Maryland Public Service Commission, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202;
  6. that Washington Gas shall file proof of publication on or before the date of the prehearing conference;
  7. that Washington Gas also shall place on its home page a notice of the prehearing conference and the date by which petitions to intervene in the matter must be filed in a manner that a customer need not click the link to determine the date, time, method, and purpose of the prehearing conference or the date by which a petition to intervene must be filed; and
  8. that Washington Gas is directed to employ any routinely used social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook, and any other means of communication at its disposal to further notify its customers of the prehearing conference, as appropriate.

By Direction of the Commission,
Andrew S. Johnston
Executive Secretary

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