Puget Sound Energy residential customers can expect to see their winter heating bills to be a few cents higher this winter heating season, but they will still be at roughly the same level as they were in 2004.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved new rates to take effect beginning Nov. 1, to reflect changes in commodity natural gas prices as well as the costs of replacing aging natural gas pipelines to improve safety.

Residential natural gas customers using an average of 68 therms a month could expect to see their monthly bill increase by 15 cents to $71.61. Even with the slight increase, monthly residential natural bills are at the same level as they were 16 years ago.

Business customers will see an average 0.1 percent increase.

PSE has 790,000 natural gas customers across six counties.