ERIE — National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. has announced a decrease to gas supply charges, resulting in a savings of about $2.74 per month for customers.

On Friday, National Fuel announced it has submitted to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission its quarterly adjustment to gas supply charges. This adjustment decreases the monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 94,900 cubic feet of gas annually by $2.74, from $61.22 to $58.48. This 4.48 percent decrease is to become effective Sunday.

The main driver of the adjustment is low-market prices due in large part to the increasing production of Marcellus Shale gas. Nearly all of the gas consumed by National Fuel utility customers comes from Northeast-produced shale gas.

National Fuel’s price-to-compare gas commodity charge also will decrease to $0.28445 per ccf. Gas supply charges are passed along to customers dollar for dollar, with no mark-up or profit to National Fuel. Pennsylvania utility companies are permitted to update gas supply charges on a quarterly basis to reflect changes in the market price of natural gas. The next opportunity to adjust gas supply charges will be Feb. 1.