Peoples Gas Officials ‘Misled’ Regulators About Cost Overruns
“KNOWING MISLED.” ….this is like hearing from your kid’s teacher that homework wasn’t turned it on time because your house was flooded, and they were calling to check on you….. (you have to inform the teacher that no flooding occurred, but thanks for checking on us). So the teacher was misled.
Let’s recall; Regulators like the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) are responsible for ensuring that utilities, which are monopolies, spend and recover money ONLY for what is useful to provide their monopoly service. That is; expenditures by COMED that improve service, increase efficiency or improve services are approved while expenditures for mahogany desks, trips to Hawaii for a conference should not be asked for or approved. It is a mutual relationship, however, it becomes adversarial only when costs or misinformation is involved.
So, Peoples Gas received approval for improvements to their gas lines. HOWEVER, after the program was approved, Peoples Gas started to get reports back on the progress and cost of those improvements.
Guess what; it was costing more than they expected and taking longer…..they didn’t tell the ICC this. THIS IS REQUIRED by monopolies. The ICC requires monopolies to report back material changes; either good or bad. The ICC counts on the monopolies to be honest; after all they will recover the cost if they get it approved!
So now it’s adversarial; misleading a regulatory means the same thing as with your kid; they lose credibility (at least for a while) and EVERYTHING must now be proven.
The ICC needs to oversee Peoples Gas very closely. They are spending $$$$ Billions on this program and its costs will be recovered in their rates if approved. HOWEVER, if they misled or committed fraud then the utility shareholders will have to pay.
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.
Additional Information:
Solar Invitation
You are cordially invited to the solar power installation at
Hemenway United Methodist Church
of Evanston Illinois
Date: 17 February 2016
Time: 11 AM
Location: 933 CHICAGO AVE, EVANSTON, IL 60202
Reverend Mosley is the current Pastor of Hemenway UMC, which has provided services to the Evanston community and beyond for 143 years. Come and see how the Church is preparing the next 100+ years.
A tour of the installed 15.4 Kw PV solar power plant on the roof will be offered.
You can meet the PV Plant builder: Eco-Solar and Realgy Energy Services that supplies the Church’s solar power.
Hemenway UMC
Pastor: Rev. Richard Mosley
Eco-Solar Solutions, Inc.
Paul Szczesny
President
847.220.8786
www.eco-solar-solutions.com
Realgy Energy Services, LLC
Michael Vrtis
President
860-233-2270
www.realgyenergyservices.com
DOE EIA weekly Gas storage report
Here is this weeks’ EIA natural gas storage report. Working gas in storage was 2,934 Bcf as of Friday, January 29, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 152 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 490 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 445 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,489 Bcf. At 2,934 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
Estimate 148 Bcf and 152 Bcf
Vs
Actual 152 Bdf
Gas demand fell across the nation last week as withdrawals likely decreased in all regions. A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration will estimate a natural gas storage withdrawal of between 148 Bcf and 152 Bcf for the reporting week that ended January 29. Warmer temperatures last week dropped demand in all ofEIA’s five storage regions. “Week-over-week, total US demand is estimated to have averaged more than 9 Bcf/d lower than the previous week with US level heating degree days totaling 43 less at 134,” said Mitch DeRubis, a quantitative modeling analyst with Platts Bentek, an analytical division of Platts.
Hemenway United Methodist Church completes installation of its solar power project.
Hemenway United Methodist Church is now powered by 15.4 kW of solar energy.
Realgy, LLC today announced the completion of a 15.4 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system for Hemenway UMC, an active parish serving the Evanston community and beyond for 143 years.
The solar PV system was installed on the roof of the main church building located in Evanston, Illinois. Pastor Mosley stated: “We share our building with several non-profits who provide vital services to the community. The solar panels provide energy to reduce our energy costs so that we can redirect resources to life saving endeavors. It’s really exciting to see the roof area with the panels installed, as it builds on our commitment to sustainability.”
The solar PV system was installed by Eco Solar Solutions of Chicago, Illinois. This is a smaller project than ECO Solar normally installs but it will make a big impact for the church. “Hemenway’s church building is a flat roof and southern exposure which was a great building to install the solar PV system,” said Paul Szczesny, President of Eco Solar Solutions. “Adding solar to the church so that it will now be able to generate most of its ongoing energy needs for the next 25 years is very exciting and a great investment.”
Realgy, LLC is an alternative energy service supplier in Illinois and is the owner of 5 solar PV systems, including our newest at Hemenway UMC. Realgy supplies Hemenway their electricity and selected them for this installation. Realgy paid for the installation so as to generate renewable energy locally as part of its sustainable commitment in Illinois.
The Hemenway PV Solar system will produce over 18, 250 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy annually and more than one million kWh over the next 25 years. That is enough energy to power about 2 average Illinois homes every year. The environmental benefits associated with the PV system is the reduction of 50 pickup trucks of coal or 12,775 lbs. of carbon dioxide each year for the next 25 years of operation!
“We are excited to announce the completion of the Hemenway solar PV project,” said Michael Vrtis, President of Realgy, LLC. “Realgy made this investment as a continuation of our commitment to Illinois, and especially Evanston.” It is Realgy’s second project in Evanston. Vrtis continues; “The Hemenway PV project builds on our commitment of reducing the cost and proving the environmental benefits of renewable energy to our customers in Illinois.”
Realgy entered into a long term agreement with Hemenway UMC under which Hemenway pays nothing for the Solar PV plant’s installation and maintenance. Hemenway simply remains a customer of Realgy and pays only the market based cost of power it uses (averaging 5% below COMED). In addition, the church will receive a discount of about 10% as a result of having the solar energy displace energy that would otherwise be delivered (and charged) by COMED.
Contacts:
Hemenway United Methodist Church
Reverend R. Mosley
933 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60202
847-328-2600
ECO SOLAR Solutions
Paul Szczesny
President, Co-Founder
773.733.4110
www.eco-solar-solutions.com
Realgy Energy Services, LLC
Michael Vrtis
President
675 Oakwood Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-233-2270
www.realgyenergyservices.com
Deregulation, but with Regulations
Deregulation allows for competition.
So, the State of Delaware has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for energy suppliers to run an opt-in program for state residents to voluntarily select an alternative to their current utility service under an Energy Choice program. This process is generally called “deregulations”.
The RFP has 10 requirements for which they will judge suppliers. The winning supplier will be awarded the “approved” supplier in the state. Most likely, becoming the approved supplier will result in confusion and higher costs than what other state marketers will offer.
Why? Because regulators cannot regulate competition. They can only enforce quality and fair service.
So, what is the promise of deregulation….
- Less government requirements
- New ideas and opportunities
- Competition to lower cost, verse regulators to oversee expenses
So, how can a competitor actually compete when the regulators don’t want to deregulate but want regulated competition? Stay tuned and we will find out…..
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.
Additional Information:
DOE EIA weekly Gas storage report
Here is this weeks’ EIA natural gas storage report. Working gas in storage was 3,086 Bcf as of Friday, January 22, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 211 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 530 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 432 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,654 Bcf. At 3,086 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
Estimated between 204 and 208 Bcf.
Vs
Actual witdrawl 211 Bcf
A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration will estimate a natural gas storage withdrawal between 204 Bcf and 208 Bcf for the reporting week that ended January 22. EIA plans to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 a.m. EST Thursday. Withdrawal within expectations would be much more than the 112 Bcf drawdown reported at this time in 2015 and more than the 170 Bcf five year average withdrawal, according to EIA data. And for the third straight week, this looks to be the highest withdrawal of the heating season to date. It also would be the first of the season that is larger than both the withdrawal reported this week last year and the five-year average. The range of analysts’ expectations this week was narrow, calling for a withdrawal between 202 Bcf to 214 Bcf.
Renewable prices decline so lawmakers think we need less…. you read that correctly
Key Michigan lawmakers are proposing to lower the amount of renewable energy that the state would be required to use just as renewable energy prices are declining.
Michigan is in the throws of transitioning its source of electricity generation, similar to much of the Mid-West. Coal and nuclear units are aging and the utility owners want to continue to operate them, some without any new investments to reduce their emissions and pollution.
Competition to utility power exists but it must compete against not only price and environmental costs but against politicians who want to continue the same-old-same old.
Clean energy is our future. The transition will be managed. Keeping standards high so they can be met and at a lower cost should be applauded not reduced.
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.
Additional Information:
When is Yes, well yes
When is Yes, yes.
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is proposing that if a residential customer signs a contract indicating their choice of for electric supplier. That is no longer an acceptable agreement. So after you would review a contract and sign the contract you will now have to receive or make a phone call verifying that you do want what you just bought.
Mind you: the ICC already requires all marketing material be reviewed. In addition, all energy marketers receive their license to operate in Illinois from the ICC. That license prohibits deceptive, misleading or fraudulent actions. So, why layer on more regulation over a regulation that already gives the ICC complete authority to review ALL agreements, contracts and actions.
Perhaps it’s because the ICC is used to issuing regulations. That is their job. However, the whole idea of deregulation is to allow for competition. YOU DON’T HAVE COMPETITION without COMPETITION.
Realgy believes that residents of Illinois understand an agreement and can make their decision and don’t need the State of Illinois requiring a second or third yes just to stop paying the utility and exercising their judgment to pay less with Realgy.
Realgy Energy Service 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.
Additional Information:
State Sen Kyle McCarter opposes wind energy project
The use of eminent domain; that is the forced purchase of private property for public benefit should be used with abundant caution. That is why it take public hearings and an unbiased review to determine what is in the public interest.
State Sen Kyle McCarter opposes wind energy project.
Last November the Illinois Commerce Commission determined that wind energy being generated in Kansas that would be transmitted to Missouri, Illinois and Indiana deserves the right to purchase the land to build a transmission tower to deliver over 4,000 MW of wind generated electricity. They approved the use of eminent domain so the independent company proposing to build this project can approach the landowners and know they can reach a deal. Without eminent domain a handful of property owners could have prevented this project from moving forward.
This project is innovative and will supply clean renewable and sustainable power. Such renewable power will diversify our power generation and help us avoid price spikes from reliance on just natural gas, coal or oil.
Realgy supports the project and other independent energy companies that are doing such great work.
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.
Additional Information:
http://madisonrecord.com/stories/510658825-mccarter-opposes-eminent-domain-in-wind-energy-project
http://www.grainbeltexpresscleanline.com/site/page/project_description
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,297 Bcf as of Friday, January 15, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 178 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 629 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 473 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,824 Bcf. At 3,297 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
EIA Estimated withdrawal 183 Bcf.
Vs
Actual withdrawal 178 Bcf.
EIA to estimate season’s largest draw Increased demand last week in the Midwest and South Central regions prompted energy experts to predict last week’s natural gas storage withdrawals will be the largest so far of the heating season. A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration on Thursday will estimate a gas storage withdrawal of between 183 Bcf and 187 Bcf for the reporting week that ended January 15. A withdrawal within expectations would be less than the 220-Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2015 and more than the 177-Bcf fiveyear average withdrawal, according to EIA data. There was not much disparity in the predictions this week as the full range of analysts’ expectations all fell between a drawdown of 175 Bcf to 191 Bcf. This looks to be the largest withdrawal of the heating season, and the first withdrawal that is more than the five-year average since the week that ended December 4. However, it would still be 35 Bcf less than the withdrawal at this time last year.
