's has requested abase rate increase of $35.4 million, or a net increase of $28 million.
Therequest, filed with the Kansas Corporation Commission, would allow the gasutility to recover investments related to system safety and reliability. Theutility noted that it is already recovering $7.4 million from customers througha gas system reliability surcharge.
To minimizefiling full rate cases in the future, the request includes a cost of serviceadjustment mechanism that would reset rates annually based on a review of theprevious year's financial results, according to a May 2 news release.
"Ournumber one priority is safety. In order to continue to provide a safe, reliableenergy choice to our customers, we continually reinvest in our infrastructureand upgrade our technology to maintain the integrity of our system," saidPierce Norton, president and CEO of ONE Gas.
The stateregulator has 240 days to review the filing. Kansas Gas serves about 635,000customers in 360 communities in Kansas, making it the largest natural gas utilityin the state.