Laclede Gas rates rising 46 percent

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Heating bills for Laclede Gas Co. customers are rising 46 percent on average, thanks largely to the higher wholesale costs of natural gas, the Missouri Public Service Commission said Thursday.

The commission said Laclede's rates are rising from 83 cents to $1.13 per 100 cubic feet of gas, starting Monday.

The average residential customer's bill last winter was $751. If Missouri has a typical winter, that same customer will use a little more gas and pay a higher rate for it, making the average bill $1,095, the commission said.

Laclede Gas has about 631,000 customers in St. Louis city and county and Butler, Franklin, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, St. Charles, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties.