RENO — Sierra Pacific Power Company, doing business as NV Energy, on Friday made its annual electric and natural gas filings with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) calling for an overall 2.7 percent decrease in electric rates for northern Nevada customers and an overall 4.7 percent decrease in natural gas rates for Reno-Sparks customers.

For the typical NV Energy residential customer in northern Nevada using 740 kilowatt hours of electricity, the filing means a 2.5 percent decrease in monthly bills, from $107.72 to $105.10, or $2.62. For Reno-Sparks natural gas customers using 56 therms of gas, the filing means a monthly decrease of 4.5 percent in bills, from $73.00 to $69.71, or $3.29.

Any changes in rates approved by the PUCN will become effective Oct. 1.

The PUCN sets these rates, known as deferred energy rates, to recover costs the utility pays to purchase electricity or natural gas from external suppliers, or to purchase fuel to generate electricity to serve customers. These costs are passed on, dollar-for-dollar, with no additional mark-ups or profits to the company.

In the coming months, the PUCN will hold hearings and undertake a full review of the company’s annual filing.

NV Energy serves approximately 300,000 electric customers in northern Nevada and approximately 150,000 natural gas customers in the Reno-Sparks area.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, NV Energy, Inc. is a holding company whose principal subsidiaries. Sierra Pacific Power Company and Nevada Power Company, are doing business as NV Energy. Serving a 54,500 square-mile territory that stretches north to south from Elko to Laughlin. NV Energy provides a wide range of energy services and products to approximately 2.4 million citizens of Nevada as well as approximately 40 million tourists annually.