Colorado’s biggest utility, Xcel Energy, on Friday asked for a hike in the price of natural gas it could charge customers in June.

The proposed price is 10 percent higher than this month - and more than 50 percent higher than in June 2007 - reflecting the increased price of natural gas with the construction of new pipelines in the state.

If approved, a typical residential customer’s gas bill next month will be $37.02, 17 percent lower than this month’s $44.62 because customers generally use less natural gas in summer months.

But June’s bill will be 51 percent higher than the $24.47 charge in June 2007.

For a typical small-business customer, a $147.31 gas bill in June will be 29 percent lower than in May because of lower consumption. But the bill will be 63 percent higher than the $90.38 bill from June 2007.

Xcel does not profit from the sale of the natural gas commodity to its customers. All costs associated with increases or decreases in the commodity price of natural gas are passed along to customers on a dollar-per- dollar basis, the utility says.

Find More Other News : Company, Exploration, Mine Trade & Market, Mining Finance, Mining Top News, Natural Gas, Oil & Gas