ATLANTA - Georgia's three largest natural gas marketers are raising prices for their residential customers. <br>
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Georgia Natural Gas, the state's leader in the market, said it will raise prices by 16 percent, while its leading competitor, Scana, has announced an eleven percent increase. Georgia's third largest company, Southern, will hike up prices the most, by 20 percent. <br>
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That will bring prices up to 80 cents per therm for Georgia Natural Gas and Scana customers and 83 cents per therm for Southern customers. December rates had ranged from 64 to 73 cents. <br>
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The three companies serve more than 80 percent of the state's 1.4 million homes and businesses. <br>
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Spokesmen for the companies blame the increases on rising wholesale prices for gas. <br>
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Robert Baker, chairman of the Public Service Commission, says the marketers should have locked in wholesale prices when they were low earlier in the year. <br>
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The price increases for January are based on the companies' variable rates, which can change monthly.
