DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,963 Bcf as of Friday, October 28, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 54 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 48 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 173 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,790 Bcf. At 3,963 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
Estimated 57 Bcf
Vs
Actual 54 Bcf
US gas storage levels look all but guaranteed to set a record high in the coming weeks as Henry Hub prompt-month futures and spot prices plummeted over the past week while the market awaits winter demand. The US Energy Information Administration will estimate a 57-Bcf injection to natural gas in underground storage for the reporting week that ended October 28, according to a consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts. Analysts’ estimates in the survey ranged for an injection of 53 Bcf to 60 Bcf. The EIA plans to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 am EDT Thursday. A 57-Bcf build would be close to the 58-Bcf build reported at this time in 2015 and less than the five-year average injection, which is 63 Bcf, according to EIA data. It would be the 26th consecutive weekly build registering below the five-year average. An injection within analysts’ expectations of 57 Bcf would grow stocks to 3.966 Tcf, only 43 Bcf less than the all-time storage peak of 4.009 Tcf set late last November
What if all Nuclear power plants all close?
Nuclear power was viewed as a miracle when it appeared some 50 years ago. Vast electrical power generation without any emission. It quickly gained about 25% of the electrical energy production in the US. Until that time, coal made up 80% and hydro 20%; all other sources contributed less than 1%.
What changed in 50 years; in a word…. “Energy Diversity”. Consider where the US electrical energy sources come from today:
- Coal provides about 37%
- Natural gas about 30%
- Nuclear 19%
- Hydro 7%
- Wind 4%
- Solar 2%
- Wood and other 1%
(EIA.gov)
Diversity of power sources ensures no single economic change affects all sources; thereby prevent major economic disruptions. Each energy sources has emissions, jobs and technical issues related to its produced energy. Therefore, each needs to be evaluated and consideration to its full contributions considered.
Eliminating any one source of generation will affect all the other sources and make the US more dependent on less resources.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM and Index, Fixed pricing.
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Consumers Energy brags about its coming winter price and storage, should they?
Consumers average price last winter (2015/16) was $3.204
Realgy Energy services last winter (2015/16) was $3.086 or $0.118 less! On average, we saved customers who selected Realgy nearly $98 of savings last winter.
Yet, Consumers Energy is bragging that it can utilize its storage assets to reduce their cost of natural gas; they forecast this winter’s rate at $3.60. Storage is common for all northern gas utilities as the use of gas could exceed the pipelines delivers of natural gas during very cold periods or if the pipeline is interrupted.
So, Consumers uses the storage to prevent running out of gas during cold winter days. Unfortunately, they keep the economic advantage for only customers who don’t use Consumer’s Energy Choice service. Consumer’s Energy Choice allows its residents to choose their natural gas provider, Realgy’s savings have been nearly $129 for the last 12 months compared to Consumers.
In Indiana and Illinois, the choice of an energy supplier includes their allotment of storage. In this way, Realgy allows the customer to store Winter Gas at Summer PricesTM.
Here is how it works:
Realgy supports Consumer’s Energy Choice program and that storage assets should benefit ALL Consumer Energy customers.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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Home tour gives a taste of solar power
Ever wanted to know what living with a solar power plant on your roof is like?
Several people participating in the Illinois Solar Tour 2016 found out.
How about:
“A minimum electric bill; only the basic monthly charge”
“$170 in savings in one month compared to last year “
“100 percent pleased”
Realgy operates 5 solar power plants in Illinois.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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The way you pay for electricity will be changing….
The conversation will be about demand charges vs. time-of-use (TOU); don’t let the jargon fool you: they want to charge you more.
The conversation includes the following (shown on the chart)
- Usage is the energy used in a given period, the chart below shows monthly
- Average is determined by dividing the sum of the value by their number
- Peak: the highest amount used in a period
So this discussion by utility regulators is HOW you should pay for energy consumption.
Current method: you pay a customer service fee and an average energy charge based on your USAGE. Lower usage means a lower bill.
Demand method is you pay based on your PEAK. Peak energy is the most expensive to supply as many people are using near the same time. Demand charges are substantial and will be set for 1 year or more. The only way to lower this cost, is to lower your peak energy demand.
TOU method means you pay the market based charge during the time period (normally hourly, in this example monthly) you use the energy. To lower your bill under TOU you need to be able to reduce your energy USAGE when prices are high.
Energy marketers already buy TOU. Utilities do as well, they pass along costs 1-3 months after incurred. So TOU is what everyone buys now, however, it may be delayed.
Demand method is more complicated as it allows utilities to recover costs they MIGHT occur. It also shift a great deal of complexity and measurement to residential customers.
Having consumers incur demand charges recognizes the influence that residential consumption is having on utility distribution. Demand charges have always been prevalent in commercial and industrial utility rates. As industry energy usage declines and residential increases the utilities are looking to shift their rates accordingly.
Utilities commissions need to strike a balance by encouraging local energy generation (solar, wind, storage), maintaining a robust distribution network and letting energy marketers bring market based energy prices.
The discussion are coming and the balancing has begun.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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Do regulators ever reduce regulation? The ICC will be making it harder for customers to save money on their energy.
The State of Illinois required electric utilities to offer competitive offers for electric service. The distribution of the energy (through the wires) would remain regulated, meaning the utility (COMED, Ameren, MEC) would remain. This was so effective that in April of 2014 the state issued its report citing $37,000,000,0000 ($37 billion) that residential customers in Illinois saved
http://realgyenergyservices.com/competition-work-tune-37-billion/
So why make it harder to sign up for such a service?
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) believes it’s necessary to prevent customers from being misled.
For instance, the ICC is proposing to train sales people before they would be allowed to offer such services door-door. I am sure this will be the training that Department of Transportation workers receive in issuing your driver’s license (hasn’t that worked out great).
After you sign an agreement for service you will need to have a company call to verify that you intended to sign that document…..it’s called third party verification but isn’t that why you signed it?
No automated renewal, no phone call for updates; rather it requires US Mail service for changes.
The ICC already has the authority to stop any alternative retail energy supplier or utility from misleading a customer. So these proposed changes add regulation on top of regulation. Which by the way is what a regulatory agency would want!
Realgy opposes unnecessary regulation that serves no purpose but to obstruct a customer’s decision.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,680 Bcf as of Friday, September 30, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 80 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 74 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 205 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,475 Bcf. At 3,680 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
Estimate 69 Bcf
Vs
Actual 80 Bcf
The US Energy Information Administration will estimate a 69-Bcf injection to gas in underground storage for the reporting week that ended September 30, according to a consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts. The EIA plans to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 am EDT Thursday. A build of 69 Bcf would mark the largest weekly gain to stocks since an 82-Bcf injection was reported for the week ended May 27. However, it would remain below the 96-Bcf build reported at this time in 2015 as well as the five-year average injection, which is 95 Bcf, according to EIA data. The below-average build would mark the 22nd consecutive week that the injection was less than the five-year historical average and last year and would continue to shrink the storage surplus. It would also finally bring stocks below the five-year maximum of 3.675 Bcf seen in the corresponding week. Storage has remained above the five-year maximum level since April 15.
Despite climate risks, utilities bet big on natural gas?
Coal plants are being retired due to regulatory compliance with existing and new Clean Power laws.
Wind and solar projects are being installed on an increasingly utility scale (meaning very large); such renewable power is expected to grow to over 20% of the U.S.’s power needs by 2030 (currently around 6%). In one case, renewables are replacing the power from a retired nuclear power plants.
However, utilities are making substantial investments in natural gas pipeline projects. These projects are expanding the supply of natural gas for use in large power projects.
Concerns are mounting for these investments from two opposite sides:
- Environmentalists will illustrate that the proposed gas power generation will prevent the U.S. from meeting its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.
- Investors are concerned, as is the case for coal projects, that these gas pipeline investments may be stranded (not fully repaid) if environmental regulations are fully implemented.
So the utility planners are hedging their bets. Natural gas is currently abundant and for highly reliable power production it is cost effective. However, if greenhouse emissions become an economic reality, this planning might lead to not only stranded costs but additional global warming.
With such conflicting interests utilities, markets and regulators need clean Energy Policy from the US Federal Government.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,600 Bcf as of Friday, September 23, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 49 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 90 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 220 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,380 Bcf. At 3,600 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
Estimated Injection 54 Bcf
Vs
Actual Injection 49 Bcf
Survey expects stocks to grow by 54 Bcf The US Energy Information Administration will estimate a 54-Bcf injection to natural gas in underground storage for the reporting week that ended September 23, according to a consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts. The EIA plans to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 am EDT Thursday. The expected injection would be just over half of the 99-Bcf build reported at this time in 2015 as well as the five-year average injection, which is 97 Bcf, according to EIA data. The below-average build would mark the 21st consecutive week the injection was significantly less than the five-year historical average and the year prior. An injection of that volume would also continue to shrink the storage surplus. Analysts’ estimates in the survey ranged from an injection of 46 Bcf to 65 Bcf. An injection within analysts’ expectations of 54 Bcf would grow stocks to 3.605 Tcf, 225 Bcf more than the five-year average and 95 Bcf more than the corresponding week last year. It would also pull stocks within 16 Bcf of the five-year maximum level.
More protections coming when you sign up for an electric offer?
The Illinois Commerce Commission (the regulators overseeing consumer protection in Illinois) has issued a first notice that if enacted would offer additional regulatory safeguards to customers selecting a retail energy provider.
Sales conducted in-person such as door to door sales, multilevel marketing and any signing up at a kiosk (say at a fair or church group), would require the energy representative to complete all the following:
- Identification: wear credentials showing picture, full name and company logo
- Criminal background check: completed by a third party (doesn’t disqualify if positive)
- Third party verification of the customer’s enrollment decision (not just a signed agreement but a recording of the customer authorizing the enrollment)
Every alternative retail energy supplier (ARES) in Illinois is required to be authorized by the ICC. Further, every ARES is subject to losing their authorization if their conduct is fraudulent, misleading or abusive.
The ICC is the agency that receives and addresses complaints from consumers. Apparently, they believe there is a need for such new rules. However, it seems unclear to me whether these changes offer new protections. It’s apparent to me that if customers are being enrolled under misleading, fraudulent or abusive tactics then the ICC has the authority to end such practices today.
Realgy is in compliant with current rules and will review any final rule to ensure we stay such.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
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