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John Daley ReportingJoyce Bartlett, Questar Customer: "I don't expect to get things for nothing, but I think somebody's got to tend to it."
With their gas bills skyrocketing, Questar customers are lodging complaints with the state. Utah's leading natural gas company says its prices are the result of tight supplies and growing demand, but Questar's customers aren't happy about their rising bills and they're giving state regulators an earful.
We checked in with the Public Service Commission and found that in recent months, the number of complaints they've been getting about rising gas rates and bills has risen sharply.
Joyce and Richard Bartlett say they were shocked by last month's gas bill, which went up $29 dollars compared with last year.
Joyce Bartlett, Questar Customer: "I don't know all the answers, but I know these are getting hard to pay."
The retirees live on a fixed income, social security and pensions from their old jobs. They've added insulation and better windows, now they're turning down the thermostat.
Richard Bartlett, Questar Customer: "Angry and upset, but you know, like she said, some of these other people are cold and need some help."
The Bartletts complained to the state, along with many others. After 13 complaints to submitted the two previous Decembers, the number skyrocketed to 73 this year. Likewise, the number so far this month is 56, far more than normal.
Some of those who filed those complaints wondered why their gas bills are so high. Others expressed concerns about how they'd be able to pay for it.
Salt Lake resident William Carpenter complains that "his bill has tripled." Mrs. Webb of St. George says her bill is up 50% and "she is not a happy camper." Mrs. Beardall, a Salt Lake widow on a fixed income, says "she doesn't understand how they could be charging so much" and calls it "way out of line."
Connie White, Director, Division of Public Utilities: "We tell them that natural gas is an unregulated commodity. No one sets the price of natural gas. It is market, it is supply and demand."
Questar says Utah's prices are relatively low, amongst the lowest in the nation. Still, they say they want to help.
Chad Jones, Questar Spokesman: We know it's bad. We'd be surprised if they weren't complaining. It's going to get better. The market will work. Prices will come back down. We're doing all we can to keep them down."
A Questar spokesman says the company plans to do a better job of educating the public about natural gas prices. To that end it's sending out a sheet with lots of information. You'll get that with your next Questar bill.
