Rejoice! Gas Cost Recovery costs to be lowest since 2002
This in via e-mail from Columbia Gas of Ohio to share with readers of GCJ:
Good News for the Holidays: December Natural Gas Costs
Will be 59% Lower than 2008 for Columbia Gas of Ohio Customers
TOLEDO, Ohio – Columbia Gas of Ohio today filed a Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) adjustment for December with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) of 49 cents per 100 cubic feet (Ccf).
This is a 70 cent or 59-percent decrease from the November 2008 GCR of $1.19 and is the lowest December GCR since 2002.
Based on average residential consumption, December bills are expected to be $92.43.
“Natural gas market prices are well below 2008 levels, and we are delighted to be able to pass those savings along to our customers,” said Columbia Gas of Ohio President Jack Partridge. “As we enter the holiday season and the economy continues to struggle, a significantly lower gas bill is welcome news.”
December is the fourth-highest gas usage month of the year for Columbia’s residential heating customers, and is typically one of the
months when bills are highest.
These prices only impact the 23 percent of Lucas County customers that purchase their natural gas directly from Columbia Gas. The remaining 77 percent of Lucas County customers purchase their gas from third party marketers who independently set their gas costs.
Despite near decade-low costs for natural gas, many households are struggling to make ends meet in light of current economic conditions. Columbia Gas encourages all customers to take steps today to secure payment assistance, if necessary, and to ensure their heating equipment works properly before cold weather sets in.
Columbia Gas recently announced Simple Energy Solutions, an energy efficiency program to help consumers save up to $180 annually by utilizing programmable thermostats and energy efficient showerheads.
Residential customers are eligible for rebates of $10 off qualified high-performance, energy-efficient showerheads and $25 off ENERGY STAR® qualified programmable thermostats. The rebates are offered through Columbia’s e-store at ColumbiaGasOhio.com/e-store or by calling 1-866-542-4767. Customers who purchase eligible thermostats and showerheads
from a local retailer can download a mail-in rebate form from the e-store or call 1-866-542-4767 to request a rebate form be sent to them.
Under Ohio law, natural gas utilities may not profit on the sale of gas to their retail customers. The GCR is designed to recover the utility’s gas costs on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Columbia earns its profits on gas delivery charges. Natural gas costs make up about 60 percent of the typical residential customer’s bill.
The December GCR will be in effect from November 25 through December 29. The PUCO requires Columbia to adjust its GCR charge monthly to reflect market conditions.
Columbia Gas of Ohio, with headquarters in Columbus, is one of the nine energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). Serving approximately 1.4 million customers in 60 of Ohio’s 88 counties, it is the largest natural gas utility in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve approximately 3.8 million gas and electric customers primarily in seven states. More information about Columbia Gas of Ohio is available at: ColumbiaGasOhio.com.
Many people could possibly have even
a lower monthly gas bill if they
would be more careful about where
they keep their thermostats set at
during the day.
Automatic thermostats will help some
but others believe they need to keep
there thermostats at the same temperature even though they are gone
from home for many hours.
Turn your thermaostat down at night
while you are under the blankets and
when you are going a way from home.
I have gas heat and the landlord installed energy efficient windows.
After the energy efficient windows were installed the
November 12th, 2009 at 2:40 pmgas company started giving me money
off each month for what they call
low-usage and have been giving the
same low-usage amount off every month
since they were installed.
I have’nt even turned my heat on yet. I have one space heater that has been keeping my entire house warm. It has’nt gotten colder than 63 degrees in the house. With it getting up to the 60’s this weekend, I’m holding out until December before i turned my heat on. Oh by the way, nobody in the house has complained either.
November 12th, 2009 at 8:07 pm63 degrees in the house? I woke up a few weeks ago to a 67 degree house and I turned the heat on.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:36 amSensorG why would you turn your heat
on if your home is 67 degrees??
You would probably save a lot of money
if you put more or warmer clothes on!
How warm do you want it to be in there??
November 13th, 2009 at 11:02 am80
November 13th, 2009 at 11:05 am67 is plenty cold when I come out from under a heavy blanket with my wife and come down stairs to the hardwood.
We usually keep the temp at 69-71 depending on mood.
Dave – I have a lot more “R factor” then you so I could see you keeping it at 80.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:19 amI try to keep ours at 68, our furnace has not kicked on that many times yet this year. An automatic thermostat would work as far as turning it down at night when you are sleeping, then kicking the heat up before you get up.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:44 amI am sorry but to me too many people
waste natural resources.
In the summer so many believe they
need their air conitioners running
when they are not needed and then
in the winter also then believe their
homes need to be really too warm
when all they need to do is wear
warmer clothes.
What does any think people did when
they only had camp fires and/or fireplaces to heat??
In the summer just move to the North
November 13th, 2009 at 11:48 amPole and in the winter move to the
desert!
Sue, that’s probably true, but if they are willing to pay the higher rates, then it is up to them. We don’t have air conditioning, the house we live in can’t handle it from an electrical aspect since it’s an older home. The first year it was bad, now it’s something we are used to. Though I still wonder every time I go into a store in the summer and it’s freezing how much money would be saved if they cranked down the thermostat.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:55 amYes, if one can pay the high utility
bills that is one thing; however,
it is still a waste of natural resources which affects all of us
by wasteful usage and higher prices
for all of us!
SUPPLY AND DEMAND!!
November 13th, 2009 at 1:07 pmSue,
Keeping the house at 69-71 is hardly toasty. I’ve done lots of things and upgrades around the house to save energy.
You want to feel a WARM house go over to my mom’s house. Old people love to keep the heat cranked.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:39 pmI usually have the heat set around 68-70 at my house. I’m always cold in the winter. I always have a sweater and a blanket wrapped around me.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:16 pmI was answering poet Sue’s question for you. Being silly for a minute. FYI, my attic was just re-insulated by yours truly. – R49 I think. I keep it around 68 or so and about 70 in dead of winter.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:16 pm