The Kansas Corporation Commission approved a rate increase for natural gas customers of Black Hills Energy.

The Wichita Eagle reports the KCC on Tuesday approved an increase that will cost the average customer about of $3 a year. The settlement gives Black Hills an overall increase of $5.23 million. Customers were already paying about $4.5 million through special riders on their bills.

The company applied for a $5.1 million net increase in April, which would have raised the average bill by $4.17 a month, or about $50 a year.

Black Hills serves about 110,000 customers in Kansas. The company said it needed the rate hike because of increased operating costs and $51 million in infrastructure and line extension costs.

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(Information from: The Wichita Eagle)