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(KTVI) – Get ready to pay more on your Laclede Gas bill.  The company is raising its natural gas rates for Missouri customers by nine percent.

The increase takes effect next Tuesday.  A Laclede spokesperson says the increase means that the bill for a typical Laclede customer will rise more than $5.50 in March.

The increase will reportedly drop in April and May as people use less gas for things like heat.  In technical terms, Laclede Gas customers will pay $0.57 cents per therm with the increase as opposed to the $0.52 cents per therm customers are paying now.

Laclede made the rate increase request on Valentine’s Day and the Missouri Public Service Commission approved it on Wednesday.  This increase seems to be focused around how much Laclede has to do with the wholesale cost of natural gas and how much Laclede has to pay for it.

The PSC does not regulate that cost.