Are Smart Thermostats Worth The Investment?
With technology advancing so quickly these days, there are many options for consumers to make daily tasks more efficient. Whether homeowners are building a new space or upgrading amenities, it has become popular to use a digital thermostat. Programmable thermostats are more common and have proven useful but smart thermostats are on the rise. (more…)
Storage Season is here!
The natural gas you have stored starting April 1st running through October 31st will begin to be added into your monthly natural gas usage from November 1st through March 31st.
You have probably noticed your summer bills were a little higher than normal, this is because Realgy Energy Services has been storing 20% of your natural gas annual usage at the lower summer rates, to be used during the winter months when the demand and more importantly the pricing for natural gas historically increase.
You may be asking do I have natural gas in storage, and if so how much?
If you are a customer of Realgy Energy Services and you live in Indiana or Illinois and are services by one of the following Utilities: Nicor, Nipsco, North Shore and Peoples Gas.
You most likely have natural gas in storage.
To find out how much natural gas you have in storage you can either:
Log into your account and view your account summary
Call one of our customer services representatives at (877) 300 6747
Enjoy the saving that the Realgy Energy Services Storage Program provides and have a wonderful toasty warm winter!
So what exactly is Natural Gas Storage?
Natural gas as you know or may not know is a colorless, odorless gas that can be stored in a number of different ways for an indefinite period of time. Natural gas that is transported through the pipelines is not always needed right away, and is put into storage for later use. Most natural gas in the United States is stored in depleted natural gas or oil fields underground. These underground storage fields take advantage of existing wells, gathering systems and pipeline connections. Natural Aquifers, Salt caverns and abandoned mines are also used to store natural gas.
Types of Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities
The demand for natural gas is normally higher in the winter than in the summer. This is mostly due to the fact that most homes and organizations use natural gas for heating in the winter. The stored natural gas delivered during the summer months normally at a lower price again due to supply and demand, is ready and available for use during the increased demand of the winter months. The natural gas in storage can also be used as insurance against natural disasters or other unforeseen accidents which may affect the production or delivery of natural gas.
Before 1992 natural gas was a regulated commodity and storage was required for the operational requirements of the pipelines to meet the needs of the utilities. In 1992 the Federal Regulatory Commission introduced Order 636 which opened up the natural gas market to deregulation. What Order 636 did was make storage available to industry participants for commercial reason. For example Realgy Energy Services Storage program which stores gas when prices are low, and withdraws it when prices are high.
Underground Natural Gas Storage Facilities in the Lower 48 States
Most utilities and industry participants pocket the savings from storing gas at a lower rate and sell it at an increased rate for a profit. What makes Realgy Energy Services Storage program unique is that the savings from stored gas is always passed along to our customers.
Realgy Energy Services offers the Summer Storage Program to our customers to help offset the cost of winter natural gas usage. Under the program customers put away 20% of their historic usage into storage at the lower summer rates to be used in the winter when the price of natural gas normally increases.
If you would like more information on The Realgy Energy Services Storage Program you can contact one of our Energy Brokers at (877) 300-6747 or check out our website www.realgyenergyservices.com
Sources:
U.S Energy Information Administration The Basics of Underground Natural Gas Storage
NaturalGas.Org Storage of Natural Gas
Natural Gas Storage Season is here
Realgy Energy Services Natural Gas Storage Program is just one more way we help our customers save money on their energy usage.
Natural Gas Storage is the service of purchasing a percentage of your annual gas usage during the summer months and storing it. This stored gas is then delivered to you during the winter months. That is why we call it “winter gas at summer prices.”
Natural Gas Storage injections begin in April and run through October. As part of our customer Benefits Realgy Energy Services purchases approximately 20% of your annual Natural Gas usage during the months of April, May, June, July, August, September and October. For each of these seven months we will buy approximately 2.85% more gas than you use, at the low spring and summer variable rates.
Then during the 5 winter months of November, December, January, February, and March, this stored Natural Gas will be withdrawn and delivered to you. Since you have already purchased this Natural Gas, you will see an even greater savings during the winter months.
Realgy offers this storage program whenever we can. If your Utility allows Realgy to offer a storage program, it will be listed in our Service Plan table on our website www.realgyenergyservices.com, or you can contact customer service at 877-300-6747.