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Some customers are relieved by a proposed agreement with Questar Gas Co. It calls for them to pay back only six months' worth of mistaken under-billing instead of two years' worth.
Last spring, Art Wasek got a letter saying he owed Questar $1,200 in back-billing. "I offered to pay them six months back-billing, but I thought two years was kind of ridiculous," he said.
Under the proposal, the nearly 600 customers affected by the mistake will pay an average of $385 each.
"I think they (Questar) should be responsible for the entire cost. It's their responsibility. They are the ones that created this mess," Wasek said.
In November, the utility discovered about 500 transmitters were underreporting natural gas use and that hundreds of customers hadn't been billed the full amount.
Questar agreed to write off $480,000 as part of the settlement. The rest of the balance of the $1 million under-billed will be spread out over 850,000 Utahns for a cost of 35 cents per customer.
The Public Service Commission is expected to consider the proposed settlement Oct. 22.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
