Citizen utility activist Claire Geddes and Roger Ball, former director of the state Committee of Consumer Services, formally asked the Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday for permission to get involved in the dispute.

"Questar Gas' customers really need someone to represent their interests in this matter," Geddes said. "And in a way, it is sad that it has to be us, because the Committee of Consumer Services now is siding with the gas company."

At issue is a recent agreement between Questar Gas, the state's Division of Public Utilities and the Committee of Consumer Services, charged under state law with representing consumers and small business in utility matters.

Under the proposed agreement, now under PSC consideration, gas company customers would pay an additional $19 million over the next three years - about 50 cents a month per customer - to help reimburse Questar for gas processing costs.

The petition to intervene, supported by nearly 200 affidavits signed by Questar customers, came a week after Ball and Geddes opposed the agreement in written comments to the PSC.

Questar didn't object to the pair expressing their opinions, but said it didn't believe the PSC should use their views as the basis for making a decision.

"We haven't even begun to think about their request," said Questar Gas spokesman Chad Jones. "But after 7 1/2 years, we think we've come to the most reasonable solution [to the gas quality issue] and we need to get this behind us."

If the PSC grants the request, however, the case could take on a new dimension.

"Our primary goal is to offer the PSC additional information so they can make a more informed and objective decision on the agreement," Geddes said. "Of course, if need be, we won't rule out challenging any decision to the Utah Supreme Court - if we don't think it is in the best interests of consumers."

The dispute dates to the late 1980s, when Questar Pipeline started to accept into its system natural gas recovered from coal fields near Price. Unlike the natural gas traditionally supplied to Utah homes, this coal-bed methane needed additional processing before it could burn safely in most appliances.

The presence of the coal-field gas resulted in a long-running dispute over who should pay for that processing - the companies producing the fuel, Questar Pipeline, Questar Gas or its customers.

The gas company wanted its customers to pay. The Committee of Consumer Services initially disagreed and argued that position before the Utah Supreme Court, eventually winning a refund of $29 million previously collected by the company as processing charges.

The Committee of Consumer Services, however, now believes Questar is entitled to collect a portion of the costs, citing possible safety problems if processing doesn't take place.

Ball believes the committee he once led no longer represents consumer interests and that there is little difference between Questar's latest try to collect processing charges and the earlier attempt rejected by the Supreme Court.

"Roger Ball's comments [last week] to the PSC were thorough and well-reasoned," said Leslie Reberg, who earlier this year replaced Ball as Committee of Consumer Services director. "It was clear he knows all the background. Where we differ is in what the remedy [to the dispute] should be."

In the past, PSC spokeswoman Julie Orchard said, the three commissioners generally have granted most requests to intervene. "Of course, every case is different," she said. "But they'll be making a decision very shortly on their request."

steve@sltrib.com