Gas prices will increase slightly starting Thursday for Missouri Gas Energy customers.

According to a news release from the Public Service Commission, rate changes under a filing due to the wholesale cost of natural gas take effect June 1. MGE residential customers currently pay approximately $0.49 per Ccf (per hundred cubic feet) of natural gas. Under this filing, the rate will increase to approximately $0.57 per Ccf, an increase of approximately $0.08 per Ccf.

MGE stated in its filing that compared to last November, this change will increase the average monthly natural gas bill of a typical residential customer through October 2017 by about $1.28 a month.

The PSC said around 55% to 60% of a customer’s current natural gas bill reflects the cost of natural gas from wholesale suppliers. The wholesale cost of natural gas (the cost your local natural gas company must pay to its suppliers for natural gas) is not regulated by the Missouri Public Service Commission. The wellhead cost of natural gas is unregulated and is primarily driven by supply, demand and the weather.

MGE serves approximately 507,700 natural gas customers in the Missouri counties of Andrew, Barry, Barton, Bates, Buchanan, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Dade, DeKalb, Greene, Henry, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, McDonald, Moniteau, Pettis, Platte, Ray, Saline, Stone and Vernon.