Jan 8, 2009 7:51 pm US/Eastern
Natural Gas Customers Can Still Find Savings
If you are a long time customer of the gas supplier, Dominion Peoples Plus, you can still save money. All you have to do is call 1-800-400-5648 and ask for the new rates.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
If you were trying to save money on your gas bill, you may have switched to a gas supplier this fall. At the time, it looked like a great deal to get you through the winter, but now, it may be time to take a second look.
Back then, it looked like we could be in for a very expensive winter. The gas supplier, Dominion Peoples Plus sent out letters giving you the opportunity to lock in a lower rate for the next two years. That was then, what about now?
If you are a long time customer of the gas supplier, Dominion Peoples Plus, you can still save money. All you have to do is call
1-800-400-5648 and ask for the new rates.
If you are a new customer of Dominion Peoples Plus, just a few months in, you could be paying more than if you had stayed with your regulated utility.
It has to do with something called the gas cost adjustment charge.
That's the amount Equitable, Columbia and Dominion Peoples Gas Company are charging customers to make up for undercharging in months past. When you switch to a gas supplier, you continue to pay that charge to your gas company for one year and then it disappears.
Gas suppliers aren't allowed to make up for past losses. That's when gas choice can really pay off.
Dominion Peoples Gas customers are currently paying $7.54 per mcf, or thousand cubic feet of gas, for gas and another $2.54 cents per mcf in gas cost adjustment. A total of $10.08 per mcf.
Dominion Peoples Plus price for gas is higher. It is $9.75 per mcf, but if you're a long-time customer, you no longer pay that gas cost adjustment, so you are saving money. If you are a new customer and still paying that gas cost adjustment, add on $2.54 and you are now paying $12.19, or more than Dominion Peoples Gas is now charging.
You have a choice to make. You can bail out now and go back to your regulated utility betting the prices will continue to go down. or stay with Dominion Peoples Plus and bet this price will look good next winter.
You can cancel or get a lower price when available. All you have to do is ask. The number to call is
1-800-400-5648. If you don't ask, you don't get.
What about if you are an Equitable Customer? Good news for you. Even if you have never been a Dominion Peoples Plus customer before, you can join now and save. Equitable is charging $11.21 per mcf for gas alone. Dominion Peoples Plus has a price of $10.95 for gas alone. With or without a gas cost adjustment charge, you can save. Is it worth the effort for a small amount of savings? Your choice.
Columbia Gas is charging eighty eight cents per ccf, hundred cubic feet of gas, compared to Dominion Peoples Plus price of ninety five cents. The gas cost adjustment charge is two cents per ccf, so you will be paying more with this gas supplier. Is it worth switching back over a few cents? Your choice.
Remember these new lower prices are only available if you call and ask for them. You do not get switched to lower prices that are available automatically. Why? You agreed to a contract when you signed up.
Dominion Peoples Plus will let you out of your contract or let you switch to a lower price without a cancellation fee, but you do not get switched automatically.
You must babysit your prices if you have selected a natural gas supplier. Prices are changing often.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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