Summary
On November 14, 2025, Berkshire Gas filed a petition to adjust its base distribution rates. Investor-owned utilities regulated by the DPU can file petitions to recover reasonable and prudent costs that have been incurred to provide safe and reliable service to its customers and have the opportunity to earn a fair and reasonable rate of return on prudently invested capital.
Berkshire Gas seeks to increase its gas distribution rates to generate approximately $22.2 million in additional revenues. According to the Company, the net effect of the request is expected to be a 21.6 percent rate increase, on average, across all customers on a total bill basis.
The DPU will review the new proposal, filed in docket DPU 25-170, and will suspend Berkshire Gas's proposed distribution rates until October 1, 2026, to conduct its investigation.
In each base distribution rate proceeding conducted by the DPU under section 94, the DPU shall design base distribution rates using a cost-allocation method that is based on equalized rates of return for each customer class; provided, however, that if the resulting impact of employing this cost-allocation method for any 1 customer class would be more than 10 percent, the DPU shall phase in the elimination of any cross subsidies between rate classes on a revenue neutral basis phased in over a reasonable period as determined by the DPU. Section 94I
In this investigation, the DPU’s staff will review all written testimony, detailed cost data, and public comments. These documents will be filed in the docket, DPU 25-170. The DPU’s staff will also hold public and evidentiary hearings for this proceeding. The dates for those hearings will be posted once available.
Potential Bill Impacts – Residential Customers
Bill impacts are pending, subject to the DPU’s investigation. You may also find bill impacts in docket DPU 25-170 in Excel and PDF.
Berkshire Gas provides that if its petition is approved as requested, customers can expect the following bill impacts:
- A residential heating customer receiving service under Rate R-3 that uses on average 121 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $53.96 (23.0 percent);
- A residential non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-1 that uses on average 15 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $12.01 (25.2 percent);
- A residential low-income heating customer receiving service under Rate R-4 that uses on average 113 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience a monthly bill increase of $37.79 (22.9 percent);
- A residential low-income non-heating customer receiving service under Rate R-2 that uses on average 16 therms of gas per month during the winter season will experience monthly bill increase of $9.59 (25.6 percent); and
Potential Bill Impacts – Commercial & Industrial Customers
Bill impacts are pending, subject to the DPU’s investigation. You may also find bill impacts in docket DPU 25-170 in Excel and PDF.
According to Berkshire Gas, the monthly bill impacts will range from an increase of between 11.7 percent and 25.9 percent, depending on usage and rate class.
Events
Three public hearings were scheduled. Please click on the links below for more details on each individual hearing.
Public Comment Period
The public comment period closed on February 27, 2026.