Natural gas prices have changed 25% in 4 weeks!
Does the words “Polar Vortex” strike fear into you?
If so, this CNBC article, Wild ride for natural gas signals volatile winter ahead, describes record production of natural gas and the forecast of colder weather similar to last winter.
So, the winter forecast is cold and there is abundant natural gas…..the question is at what price.
To avoid the uncertainty of winter gas prices Realgy offers:
Storage service’ “Winter gas at Summer prices” and PriceWatchTM (fixed price)
Please contact our Customer Service department for additional information at 877-300-6747 x1000
Read the whole CNBC article “Wild ride for natural gas signals volatile winter ahead”
Tell Ameren to open up their natural gas service to Customer Choice
So Ameren wants you to believe that you are paying a “low” “stable” price for your natural gas. Well, if you compare their cost to the entire United States, they may have a point.
However, if you compare to your neighbor or local supplier you are paying more. That is; if your neighbor or business is with Realgy Energy Services.
Ameren is trying to retain its regulated monopoly position in natural gas by putting out these press releases saying; “we are AVERAGE!”.
So compare what happened in Illinois when electricity was opened to customer choice: the State of Illinois has saved $37 billion with Energy Choice; that’s compared to what you would have paid by staying with the utility (like Ameren, COMED, Peoples, etc).
Specifically Realgy Energy Services customers over the last 36 months have saved over 14.7% compared to Ameren; that is over $889.00.
Let them know you want the same choice for natural gas as you have for electricity. ICC contact info: Torsten Clausen, Director tclausen@icc.illinois.gov
So as Ameren promotes being average in the USA, you can look to be better and tell Ameren to open up their natural gas service to Customer Choice.
Read the full Ameren Media Release, “Ameren Illinois Customers will see natural gas prices lower than national average for a second year“
US predicts lower heating bills this winter
US as a whole may have lower heating bills, however, in the article details the Midwest; Illinois, Indiana and Michigan are forecasted to have a colder than average winter.
Frosty is coming to Town!
Find the full abc news article, “US Predicts Lower Heating Bills This Winter”
Duke Energy proposes plan to modernize electric grid
Duke Energy’s proposal for maintaining/updating their electric grid in their franchise service area of Indiana is a great example of a regulated utility’s typically large improvement process.
First step; maintain the current system without improvement for as long as practical. This is usually cost effective in keeping rates low but comes with the cost of more frequent outages and high system maintenance costs.
Second step; offer to upgrade an outdated (in this case a century old) technology. After nearly 100 years without significant changes, you would think there would be benefits in replacing old technology. The highlighted benefits would be expected; however, note the absence of any measurable benefits.
Third step; get paid. Regardless of what benefits actually occur, Duke will be guaranteed 80% recovery of their costs (not estimates, but what they actually spend). The remaining 20% will be included in a new filing that is subject to regulatory review. The regulators could disallow recovery of this 20% if they found Duke did not spend the money prudently or that the intended benefits did not materialize.
Bottom-line, this will most likely be approved. The rates will increase and service should be improved. Correlating cost vs. benefits is always a challenge.
Indiana is an outlier in the area, as they do not have customer choice for their electric service as neighboring states do. One would hope that with consideration of a modern electric grid, a modern energy choice program would precede it. And, with a modem energy choice program, there is no rate increase.
Realgy offers electric choice in Illinois where the average savings is over 8%.
Read the full Intelligent Utility article “Duke Energy Indiana proposes plan to modernize its statewide electric grid.”
Exelon, politics and Illinois’ low-carbon future
This article offers excellent insight into how policy (politics) influences energy and energy costs.
Government is the only entity that can impose priorities on energy. That is, without environmental laws, energy production would be governed by cost and perhaps by convenience.
So when the Government (state or federal) imposes or doesn’t impose a tax or subsidizes an energy utility, it’s important.
Illinois has a history of supporting coal with tax advantages which historically has provided jobs and low energy costs; however, both have declined and could decline further due to carbon emissions and nuclear power.
Illinois has halted its support of renewable energy (created from wind, solar or water) with tax advantages. When they have supported renewables, it has favored larger utility scale renewables over smaller installations.
This article shows how two large corporations are presenting their case for economic assistance from the State of Illinois. Which one do you think deserves assistance?
In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that Realgy has built and operates four solar photovoltaic power plants in Illinois. Realgy received State and Federal tax subsidiaries and would not have done so without them.
Read the full Renewablesbiz article, “Exelon, politics and Illinois’ low-carbon future”
Citizens Energy Group being investigated for Energy Bill practices
Citizens Energy Group in seeking to simplify service for their customers seems to have aggravated an already problematic issue—billing. After aggregating the gas, water, and wastewater in their monthly bill, the number of complaints and the complications in resolving those complaints has sky-rocketed.
How would you react if 20% of your customers hung up because of long wait times when they called in to resolve a billing issue?
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) has opened an investigation into Citizens Energy billing practices. If you have experienced billing issues, please contact the IURC (information provided below) to have it addressed.
Realgy Energy is a registered energy marketer in the Citizens Energy Select program. Through this program, Realgy offers commercial and industrial customers direct wholesale prices without any utility cost added; the result has been savings. To find out how much you can save through Citizens Energy Select, please call or visit; Service Plans for Citizens Gas
Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Contact Info
Reference: Docket #44462; Citizens Energy billing inquiry
Read the full Fox 59 article, “Regulators to investigate Citizens Energy’s management, billing practices”