Leander City Council approved an alternate increase in rates from Atmos Energy, the company that provides natural gas to 57 Central Texas cities including Leander, at the Sept. 20 city council meeting.

In June, Atmos Energy filed a statement of intent with the cities in the Atmos Texas Municipalities coalition to increase rates system-wide by about $46 million. The increase would have increased the average residential customer’s bill by about 11 percent, or $1.90, while decreasing commercial, industrial and transportation customers’ bills, according to city documents.

Atmos proposed this increase would go into effect July 6, but the city of Leander, and other members of the coalition, suspended the increase for 90 days so rate consultants could review the request.

After reviewing the proposed increase, ATM Special Counsel and rate experts recommended ATM cities approve an alternate rate increase of $12.81 million system-wide. In this proposal, residential customers would see a 1.47 percent increase in their bills, while industrial and transportation customers would see a 5.09 percent increase and commercial customers would see a slight decrease.

Though Leander City Council approved these alternate rates, which go into effect Oct. 4, the Railroad Commission has final jurisdiction, so the rates could change.