Nevada utilities panel OKs $230 million in gas investments

(The Center Square) – Southwest Gas proposed a $230 million investment budget that the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada largely approved this week.

But experts said the commission did not scrutinize the proposal nearly enough.

Nevadans are set to pay the bill on gas utility upgrades that the utility commission signed off on this week. Experts called the gas infrastructure budget overpriced and lacking justification.

“Customers are already struggling with high energy costs,” said George Cavros, the Western Resource Advocates clean energy manager and senior attorney in Nevada.

“The company not showing its work before passing on significant costs to its customers is unacceptable and contrary to the law,” Cavros told The Center Square.

The WRA was one of several groups that expressed opposition to Southwest Gas’ proposal, including the Bureau of Consumer Protections, part of the state Attorney General’s Office.

The WRA estimated that a Southwest Gas request to raise revenue by $7...