W.Va. residents' utility bills down 5 pct in 2012 - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

W.Va. residents' utility bills down 5 pct in 2012

  • Saturday, May 25 2013 7:47 PM EDT2013-05-25 23:47:22 GMT
    One man died and another is behind bars Saturday after a son shoots and kills his father at their Overlook Drive home in Stanaford.Raleigh County Sheriff's Deputies said 23-year-old Donald Gray Dunn, Jr.
    One man died and another is behind bars Saturday after a son shoots and kills his father at their Overlook Drive home in Stanaford.Raleigh County Sheriff's Deputies said 23-year-old Donald Gray Dunn, Jr.
CHARLESTON (AP) -

A new report says West Virginians paid less for utilities in 2012 than in the previous year, primarily because of a decline in natural gas utility rates.

The report released Wednesday by the Public Service Commission's Consumer Advocate Division says the average West Virginia utility customer paid $277.22 a month for gas, electricity, water and telephone service in 2012. That's a 5.3% drop from 2011, when the average monthly cost was $292.81.

Utility rates ranged from $262.67 in Logan to $295.66 in Bluefield.

Consumer Advocate Division director Byron Harris says natural gas rates in the state have fallen 30% since 2008, but electric and water utility rates have both increased by more than a third over that period. Telephone rates have remained stable.

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