Homeowners in Revelstoke can expect to see their propane bills go up by almost $200 annually following a rate hike by FortisBC announced Tuesday.
“Propane prices, which are closely linked to global oil markets, have continued to significantly increase since the beginning of the year,” said Cynthia Des Brisay, vice president, energy supply and resource development, FortisBC, in a press release.
The new rate, which goes into effect on July 1, means the average home will pay about $1,254 annually for their propane bill, depending on consumption.
The increase brings the rate to $19.035/gigajoule from $15.214/GJ – an increase of just over 25 per cent.
Meanwhile, rates in the rest of the province, which uses natural gas, will remain the same.
On top of the FortisBC rate hike, the provincial carbon tax will also be going up, adding another $15 to the average customer’s bill in Revelstoke.
“Even though the price of natural gas for most of our customers during the next quarter continues to be at the lowest in years, we want to encourage all of our customers to stay energy efficient, which will also help them save on their energy bills and benefit the environment,” said Des Brisay.
