Consumers

Record natural gas storage levels and the absence of any major hurricanes so far this year have set the stage for lower prices as consumers head into the winter heating season, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Tuesday.

Washington Gas Friday said consumers in its Washington, DC service region may get a break from the natural gas price increases of last year as the company expects the average cost of heating a home will be about the same or slightly less than last year. The company said if there is a change it will be minor in nature. Washington Gas projects that the average customer could see as much as a 10% decrease on their bills depending on the weather. This could result in savings of as much as $120, assuming normal winter temperatures. The utility buys about 36% of winter supply during the summer and stores it.

The Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA) has called on Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to focus his attention on expanding natural gas development in both onshore and offshore lands.

The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved a $602 billion spending bill that provides $2 billion to help low-income consumers pay their winter heating and summer cooling bills in fiscal year 2007.

The American Gas Association (AGA) has called on a House Appropriations subcommittee to provide full funding for needy energy consumers when it marks up a fiscal 2007 spending bill for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Wednesday.

Plenty of gas in storage and warmer temperatures on the way will make for happier days for natural gas consumers. Investors in the industry, however, might want to buckle their seatbelts and prepare for some unpleasantness as the market transitions through a light injection season on its way to another winter.

Plenty of gas in storage and warmer temperatures on the way will make for happier days for natural gas consumers. Investors in the industry, however, might want to buckle their seatbelts and prepare for some unpleasantness as the market transitions through a light injection season on its way to another winter.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), which serves 3.4 million California consumers using 1.3 million electric meters and more than 825,000 natural gas meters, has filed an updated proposal to install advanced meters for all of its customers by 2010.

Maryland LDC Elkton Gas’ latest rate filing, which took effect Feb. 1, will reduce purchased gas costs by 8%, saving average consumers a projected $17 in February.