It appears SaskEnergy rates might be on the rise just before the winter season hits.

The crown corporation applied to the Saskatchewan Rate Review Panel on September 10 looking to increase its commodity rate from $2.58/gigajoule (GJ) to $3.15/GJ.

Alana Johnson, the director of strategic communications with SaskEnergy, said there are a few factors behind the request for an uptick in their rates.

"Natural gas prices on the open market have essentially doubled, since we decreased the commodity rate in 2019," she said. "There's been increased demand, higher liquified natural gas exports, some lower production due to recent weather and all of that's contributing to an increase in the commodity rate price.

"For SaskEnergy, the commodity rate is a pass-through cost to customers, so we don't earn any profit or loss on it, it's a reflection of what the gas costs to purchase in the open market."

If the hike is approved by the review panel, it will increase the average residential customer's bill by about $5.65 per month or 8.4 per cent. Small businesses and medium businesses will experience more expensive jumps ranging from $28 to $360 monthly or 11.9 per cent to 14.4 per cent.

"Currently, SaskEnergy's commodity rate is our lowest in more than 20 years," she said. "The proposed adjustment would be the corporation's first commodity rate increase since 2014, and that's after four decreases."

SaskEnergy is expected to find out if they can implement the increase by mid-October and if given the green light, the rise will take effect as of November 1.