Protesters Deliver Petition Against PGW Sale

Opponents say they believe rates will rise more quickly.

Protesters on Tuesday delivered petitions containing “several thousand” signatures to Council President Darrell Clarke, opposing the city’s sale of Philadelphia Gas Works to a private company in Connecticut, UIL Holdings. 

Newsworks reports:

Madeline Shikomba of South Philly says she and many others can’t afford to pay more for natural gas.

“Between the real estate taxes and Philadelphia Gas Works being sold I’m going to be pushed out of my house,” said Shikomba. “I have never seen anything go down under privatization I’ve always seen it go up and therefore that is a given that the prices will go up and people will not be able to heat their houses.”

But Mayor Nutter‘s office, which supports the sale, says higher rates won’t necessarily result.