Norwich — The Board of Public Utilities Commissioners on Tuesday approved the four Norwich Public Utilities division budgets, with a combined total of $93.7 million and no rate increases in any division, despite an overall $1.1 million spending increase.

Spending increases will be more than covered by an anticipated $2.2 million increase in overall revenues.

NPU officials first presented the budget to the board in March, allowing members time to review it before the vote. No public hearing was necessary, because there were no changes to rates, utility officials said.

The budget includes a charter-required payment of 10 percent of electric, water and natural gas gross revenues to the city, totaling $8.86 million for the 2019-20 fiscal year, based on audited revenues from the 2017-18 fiscal year. The payment is up by $385,095 over last year’s payment.

The electric division is by far the largest of the four NPU services, with a total expense budget of $55.18 million, an anticipated drop in expenses of $529,203.

Electric rates for NPU customers will remain stable, because for the second consecutive budget year, NPU will use about $4 million from its membership share of revenues generated by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative to offset purchased power costs from the cooperative. The budget shows a $773,962 reduction in the cost of purchased power, to a total of $26.2 million, although NPU anticipates increasing the amount of purchased power next year, NPU Financial Planning Manager Laura Huren said.

The natural gas expense budget totals $20.3 million, an increase of $976,327. The water division budget totals $10.09 million, up by $496,084 and the sewer budget is set at $8.1 million, an increase of $165,741. Natural gas rates will remain the same, but residential customers already saw a $5 per month increase in their bills starting in March to reflect the added cost of purchasing natural gas from Northeast pipelines.

NPU anticipates increases in revenues across the board next fiscal year, for a combined total of $101 million. Acting General Manager Chris LaRose said part of the increase can be attributed to the improving economy and natural gas expansions. Natural gas revenues are expected to rise by $1.48 million, including an $862,000 increase in residential gas sales. Electric revenues are budgeted to increase by $350,872, water revenues by $200,406 and sewer revenues by $239,905.

Expense increases include costs of system upgrades, the payment to the city and a $792,239 increase in employee benefit costs, reflecting a 15 percent increased payment to the city’s employee pension fund as part of a citywide effort to catch up on contributions, NPU spokesman Chris Riley said.

Four vacant positions — a lineman, sewer collection employee, a natural gas inspector and a project coordinator — will not be filled, putting NPU’s total employees at 146. Total wages, budgeted for $26.2 million, are down by $90,087.

c.bessette@theday.com