Puget Sound Energy (PSE) reached an agreement with staff members of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and others on a proposed settlement of its request to increase natural gas rates in Washington.

The proposed all-party settlement now goes before the three-member commission, which will make a final decision on the utility’s rate-increase request. The commission is not bound by the staff recommendation.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, PSE’s natural gas revenues would increase by an additional $19 million a year, or an overall 1.8 percent, down from the $24 million, or 2.3 percent, the company asked for in its initial request last fall. The agreement calls for an April 1 effective date.

For an average residential natural gas customer using 68 therms a month, the increase would be 2 percent, or $1.68, for a revised bill of $84.65. The settlement agreement proposes no change to the basic service charge for residential natural gas customers, which would remain at $10 a month. The company had originally asked to increase the fee to $10.62 a month.

PSE customers will be able to comment to state regulators on the proposed settlement agreement at a public meeting scheduled at 1:30 p.m. March 1 in the second-floor hearing room of the commission’s headquarters, Richard Hemstad Building, 1300 S. Evergreen Pk. Dr. S.W., Olympia.