Black Hills Corp. announced that its Arkansas natural gas utility, Black Hills Energy Arkansas, Inc., doing business as Black Hills Energy, received approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission of a unanimous settlement agreement for new rates effective with October billing cycles. The new rates are designed to recover approximately $130 million of pipeline system investments since the utility’s last general rate filing in 2021.
“We are pleased to receive approval of a settlement that supports our long-term commitment to our Arkansas customers and communities to deliver safe and reliable natural gas service,” said Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp. “The critical infrastructure investments made on behalf of our customers are essential to meeting the growing demand for energy while also supporting continued resilience of our Arkansas natural gas system.”
The approved settlement agreement will generate approximately $25.4 million of new annual revenues and migrates approximately $3.7 million in annual rider revenue to base rates for a total annual base rate revenue increase of $29.1 million. The approval allows a 9.85% return on equity and a capital structure of 46% equity and 54% debt.