Elizabethtown Gas Requests Gas Cost Increase to Cover Rising Wholesale Prices
30 Mayo 2008 - 2:02PM
PR Newswire (US)
UNION, N.J., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Reflecting the rising
wholesale price of natural gas, Elizabethtown Gas today filed a
petition with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to
revise its gas commodity cost charge from $1.0339 per therm to
$1.3561 per therm. This will increase the typical monthly bill
(including the base charge) about 21.99 percent or about 32 dollars
per month for a customer using 100 therms. The fuel portion of the
customer's bill -- about 80 percent of the total bill -- is a
direct pass-through charge without any mark-up from Elizabethtown
Gas. "Energy costs are rising across the board, including the cost
of the natural gas we buy to deliver to our customers," said Don
Carter, vice president, Elizabethtown Gas. "We purchase natural gas
from the most reliable sources at the most economic price for our
customers. Even though we have not increased our base rate since
2002, the high price of the gas itself is increasing costs for our
customers." The wholesale price of natural gas has risen 119
percent since Aug. 31, 2007, from $5.43 per dekatherm to $11.90
based on NYMEX prices. Several factors have combined to cause
natural gas prices to rise. Demand for natural gas, particularly
for use in generating electricity, is up sharply. This is driven by
the environmental benefits of using natural gas and the significant
increases in cost for comparable electric generating fuels such as
coal or oil. Imports of liquefied natural gas are down and storage
volumes have declined, all contributing to tight supplies. "We
encourage our customers to take steps to weatherize their homes
now, which will not only help lower summer cooling costs, but also
will prepare homes for the winter heating season when wholesale
natural gas prices are forecast to rise even higher," said Carter,
"In addition to conserving energy, residential customers should
take advantage of all the federal, state and local programs
available to help with energy costs. They should also enroll in an
Elizabethtown Gas budget billing program to help make their energy
costs more predictable." Weatherization All customers can take
steps to prepare their homes and energy budgets for the
summer/winter season. New Jersey Comfort Partners is a state
program administered by the BPU and managed by individual
utilities. They provide free home energy analyses and education as
well as weatherization measures for those who qualify. Consumers
should call 888-773-8326 for more information. Elizabethtown Gas
offers the following weatherization tips for maximum cost savings:
-- Add weather stripping and caulking to doors and windows to seal
gaps. As much as 30 to 40 percent of a home's energy loss is
attributed to outside air penetrating the house. -- Check for
appropriate insulation around the pipes, in the walls, attic and
under the floor. -- Choose the right R-value, which is a measure of
insulating power. Higher R-values mean greater insulating power,
which provides greater household energy savings and cost savings.
-- Set the water heater thermostat setting to about 120 degrees and
switch to "vacation" setting when you'll be away for a few days. --
Use warm or cold water settings when washing clothes and rinse with
cold water. -- Separate heavier clothes (towels, heavy cottons)
from the lightweight fabrics (synthetics) for more efficient
drying. -- Install a low-flow showerhead. Showers use less hot
water than baths. -- Close off unoccupied rooms and close
heating/cooling vents. -- Use exterior doors farthest from the
thermostat. -- Use sunlight to warm rooms. Close drapes and blinds
at night to retain heat or keep temperatures cool. -- Fully load
dishwashers, washing machines and dryers before running. -- Install
storm or thermal windows and doors. -- Install a water heater
insulation wrap around the sides of the water heater. Never put
insulation on the top of the heater or near the bottom. For more
weatherization information, visit the following Web sites:
Elizabethtown Gas: http://www.elizabethtowngas.com/ N.J. Department
of Community Affairs http://www.state.nj.us/ American Gas
Association: http://www.aga.org/ National Association of Home
Builders: http://www.nahb.org/ U.S. Department of Energy:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/ Budget billing Elizabethtown Gas offers
budget billing for its residential customers. Customers are billed
the same amount every month for the next 12 consecutive months,
subject to a mid-year review. This eliminates the "peaks and
valleys" in natural gas bills caused by winter's cold weather and
summer's heat. To enroll, call the Elizabethtown Gas Customer Care
Center at 1-800-242-5830. Energy Assistance The Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program designed to
assist those in need. In order to be eligible, residents meeting
the requirements must apply for the funds. Customers should contact
their county LIHEAP office by calling 2-1-1 for more information.
Those who call 2-1-1 also may request a referral to one of the many
other energy assistance programs that are available. Some of these
programs are described below. -- Universal Service Fund (USF) is a
low income energy assistance program from the New Jersey Societal
Benefits fund. It provides monthly credits on heating bills if the
New Jersey Department of Social Services determines the bill
exceeds a certain percentage of household income for qualified
applicants. Call 866-240-1347. -- USF Fresh Start is a state
program offering automatic enrollment for first-time USF customers
whose past-due amount is greater than $60. Participants who pay 100
percent of their current gas bills for 12 months, over a 15 month
period of time, will have their past-due balances erased. There is
no need to apply if already enrolled in USF. USF enrollees eligible
for the Fresh Start program will automatically receive a letter. --
The Lifeline Credit Program provides an annual grant of $112.50 per
person for natural gas and electric bills, and is administered by
the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. This
program is available to senior citizens 65 and older who meet
income requirements and adults 18 and older who receive Social
Security disability. Call 800-792-9745. -- New Jersey SHARES is a
non-profit corporation organized to provide assistance to
individuals and families living in New Jersey who do not qualify
for low-income programs. The program is designed for residents in
need of temporary help paying their energy bills. It provides a
one-time grant, which is administered by local social service
agencies. Call 866-792-4273. About Elizabethtown Gas Elizabethtown
Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources, provides delivery
service to more than 266,000 residential, business and industrial
natural gas customers in New Jersey. In operation since 1855, the
company serves parts of Union, Middlesex, Sussex, Warren,
Hunterdon, Morris and Mercer counties. For more information, visit
http://www.elizabethtowngas.com/ . About AGL Resources AGL
Resources (NYSE:ATG), an Atlanta-based energy services company,
serves more than 2.3 million customers in six states. The company
also owns Houston-based Sequent Energy Management, an asset manager
serving natural gas wholesale customers throughout North America.
As a 70 percent owner in the SouthStar partnership, AGL Resources
markets natural gas to consumers in Georgia under the Georgia
Natural Gas brand. The company also owns and operates Jefferson
Island Storage & Hub, a high-deliverability natural gas storage
facility near the Henry Hub in Louisiana. For more information,
visit http://www.aglresources.com/ . DATASOURCE: AGL Resources
CONTACT: Tami Gerke of AGL Resources, +1-404-584-3873 office,
+1-404-558-2307 cell, Web site: http://www.aglresources.com/
http://www.elizabethtowngas.com/
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