Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has asked California regulators to let it collect $26.6 million from natural-gas customers as a shareholder award, arguing that its prudent gas-buying decisions saved customers roughly $170 million.
If approved, the request would add about 41 cents a month to the bill of a typical residential customer, according to a notice PG&E recently sent customers.
The proposal may sound contradictory: PG&E says it saved customers money but wants to raise their bills as a result…