Starting from tomorrow (the 1st), the gas rate for housing will also increase by 0.43 won or 3% from the current 14.22 won per megajoule (MJ) to 14.65 won, following the electricity rate.
In addition, the general rate applied to restaurants, etc. will increase by 0.17 won.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced today that the price of city gas for housing and general use will rise by an average of 1.8% (based on the Seoul city retail rate, excluding VAT) in accordance with the adjustment of the standard raw material cost due to the increase in cost.
For general use rates, which vary depending on the location of use, Business 1 will be raised by 1.2% from the current 14.09 won to 14.26 won, and Business 2 will be raised by 1.3% from 13.09 won to 13.26 won, respectively.
Business use 1 includes restaurants, cafeterias, e-beauty businesses, lodging businesses, swimming pools, etc., and business use 2 includes bathrooms, waste treatment plants, and garbage incinerators.
As a result of this measure, the average gas bill per household is expected to rise by 860 won per month throughout the year.
Users who paid 28,440 won per month for general use (business 1) will pay 29,300 won.
This increase is in accordance with the standard raw material cost adjustment.
The Ministry of Industry, in consultation with related ministries, sets the standard raw material cost for housing and general use every two months, taking into account the factors that fluctuate raw material cost.
Gas rates for residential and general use have been frozen since July 2020, when they were cut by an average of 13.1%.
In the meantime, there were factors such as a sharp rise in the import unit price of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is the cost of raw materials, but the increase was suppressed in order to stabilize prices.
Then, this time, the standard raw material cost was raised abruptly.
"As international gas prices have risen sharply since the second half of last year, the receivables for housing and general use, which were KRW 1.8 trillion as of the end of last year, increased sharply," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained.
However, it said that the rate increase was reflected to the minimum level in consideration of the burden on the public.
As electricity rates are expected to rise from next month and city gas rates also rise, the burden on households is expected to increase.
In the case of electricity rates, the basic fuel cost and climate environment rate among the constituent items: basic rate, electricity rate (standard fuel cost), fuel cost adjustment rate, and climate environment rate will increase from tomorrow, one day later.
Although the adjusted unit price for fuel cost, a key factor in electricity rates, was frozen in the second quarter, the base fuel cost rose by 4.9 won per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in April and October, respectively, for a total of 9.8 won.
At the same time, the climate and environment rate will also increase by 2 won from April, and consumers will have to pay a total of 6.9 won per kWh from the 1st of next month.
In the case of a four-person household using an average of 307 kWh per month, the burden of electricity bills increases by about 2,120 won per month (excluding VAT and electricity-based fund).
(Photo = provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Yonhap News)