Home (this page)
Introduction
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Links to Other Sources of Information
Detailed Comparison Information
Notes on Gas Marketers and Table Key
Atlanta Gas Light Company Information (includes Base
Charge and how to read your meter)
My Gas Cost History - A Trend Study
Information last updated: March 21, 2001
Please note that I am no longer updating these pages and have no plans to do more updates. You can find the latest pricing information on the Georgia PSC site. I intend to leave these pages as they are for historical reference.
The information below was gathered from calling the marketers directly and correlating this information with the marketer's web sites, the PSC web site, and actual customer bills where possible. Each entry in the comparison table has a date indicating when the information for that marketer was updated. I make no claims to the accuracy of this information and disclaim all responsibility for how you use it (although I believe it to be correct). I encourage you to verify it for yourself. If you wish to inform me of errors, updates, corrections, etc., please send your comments by email or post them in the forum -- I invite your feedback and experiences.
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Cust. Service Fee
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Last Updated |
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| ACN
Energy 877-226-3649 |
0.83 |
Variable
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N
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4.12 * DDDC
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4.95
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N/A
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N
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M-30
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N
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3/9/2001 |
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ACN also imposes additional charges of $1.82 per DDDC which is primarily AGL storage charges (additional to the typical AGL base charges). See the ACN site for an explanation (don't waste time calling their customer service number, they don't know). Customer service 24/7. ACN Energy is a subsidiary of ACN Inc., a "network marketing" company (services sold through local independent reps). HISTORY: Gas prices: Aug99-Sep99 0.36, Jan00 0.42, Feb00 0.458, Mar00-Jul00 0.433, Aug00 0.467 (+ 4.04 * DDDC), Sep00 0.59 (+ 3.85 * DDDC), Oct00 0.689 (+ 6.20 * DDDC), Nov00 0.74 (+ ??? * DDDC), Dec00 0.82 (+ ??? * DDDC), Jan01 1.29 (+ 4.18 * DDDC), Feb01 0.83 (+ 4.32 * DDDC). The customer service fee was increased in August (or thereabouts) from $1.57. |
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| Energy
America 888-305-3828 |
0.809
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7.76
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Y
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
| Offering $25 rebate on second bill. New customers must agree to automatic bank draft payment. Customer service M-F 8:30a-9p, Sat 9a-5p. Budget billing available after 10 months service. HISTORY: Gas price: Aug99-Sep99 .3418, Oct99-Dec99 .29. Transportation multiplier was 9.34 for all of 1999. Gas price: Jan00 0.31, Feb00 0.34, Mar00 0.3793, Apr00 0.4183, May00 0.4465, Jun00 0.6326, Jul00 0.6297, Aug00 0.4942, Sep00 0.625, Oct00 0.743, Nov00 0.66, Dec00 0.88, Jan01 1.45, Feb01 0.89. Transportation multiplier has averaged about 8.90 since January 2000 (ranged from 8.50 to 9.27). | |||||||||||||||||
| Georgia
Natural Gas Services Inc. 888-878-3258 |
0.919
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3.75
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
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Budget billing offered after 12 months of having gas service in Georgia. Customer service hours Mon 7a through Sa 2p. HISTORY: Gas price: 1Q99 0.37 to 0.44, 2Q99 0.435 to 0.44, Jul99-Aug99 0.429, Sep99 0.459, Dec99 0.499, Jan00 0.499, Feb00 0.509, Mar00 0.509, Apr00 0.479, May00 0.499, Jun00 0.549, Jul00-Aug00 0.569, Sep00 0.619, Oct00 0.679, Nov00 0.70, Dec00 0.78, Jan01 1.15, Feb01 0.919. Customer service charge increased from 1.57 in early 2000. |
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0.849
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3.75
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
| HISTORY: Gas price: 1Q99 0.47, 2Q99 0.485, Jul99-May00 0.499, Jun00-Sep00 0.559, Oct00 0.599, Nov00 0.70, Dec00 0.80, Jan01 0.90, Feb01 0.849. Customer service charge increased from 1.57 in early 2000. | |||||||||||||||||
| Infinite
Energy Inc. 877-342-5434 |
0.72
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5.75
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
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New plan started in February, 2001. Customer service hours M-F 8a-6p, Sat 10a-2p. HISTORY: Gas price: Feb01 0.85. |
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0.79
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5.75
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
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Fee equivalent to one average month's bill to terminate contract early (unless you move out of the service area in which case there is no fee). Customer service hours M-F 8a-6p, Sat 10a-2p. HISTORY: Gas price: 1Q99 0.41, 2Q99 0.44, Jul99-Aug99 0.46, Sep99-Apr00 0.499, May00 0.55, Jun00 0.599, Jul00 0.65, Aug00 0.64, Sep00 0.71, Oct00 0.70, Nov00-Dec00 0.87, Jan01 0.92, Feb01 0.84. |
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The New Power
Company |
0.83
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4.50
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
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New Power bought Columbia Energy in January. Went to a 24 month fixed plan in February, 2001. Customer service M-F 8a-8p, Sat 8a-3p. HISTORY: Gas price: 1Q99 0.399, 2Q99 0.385, Jul99-Aug99 0.379, Sep99-Dec99 0.459 (12M plan) or 0.438 (18M plan), Jan00-Feb00 0.444 (18M plan), Mar00 0.479, Apr00 0.479, May00-Jul00 0.495, Aug00 0.555, Sep00 0.579, Oct00 0.669, Nov00 0.69, Dec00 0.79, Jan01 0.885 (all 12M plans), Feb01 0.849 (24M). A variable rate plan was offered in 1999, but is not available to new customers. Customer service charge increased from $3.75 in October. Was a $10 referral bonus for customers you refer, $5 to referred customers (Neighbors and Friends Program). |
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| SCANA
Energy Marketing Inc. 877-467-2262 |
.899
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Variable |
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
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Offering incentive Delta Skymiles at one per dollar spent with SCANA. 24/7 customer service. $150 or more refundable with interest deposit based on credit check. HISTORY: Gas price: Jan99-Feb99 0.37, Mar99-Aug99 0.399, Sep99 0.42. Oct99 0.41, Nov99 0.44, Dec99-Mar00 0.479, Apr00-May00 0.498, Jun00 0.539, Jul00 0.579, Aug00 0.599, Sep00 0.619, Oct00 0.669, Nov00 0.699, Dec00 0.769, Jan01 1.049, Feb01 1.049. Customer service fee increased 2/1/2000 from 3.24. |
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0.839
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12M |
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
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Scana began offering this "one-rate" plan in January, 2001 to customers who have been with Scana for at least 30 days. Call to request to be switched. HISTORY: Jan01 0.919, Feb01 0.859. |
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0.529
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Variable |
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
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Scana switches some customers to this "two-part rate" as of July, 2000 (you don't choose it, they do). If you don't use enough gas in the summer months, they put you on this plan "to better recover costs." HISTORY: Gas price: Jul00 0.439, Aug00-Sep00 0.459, Oct00 0.529, Nov00 0.629, Dec00 0.649, Jan01 0.919, Feb01 0.909. Transportation fees have been 8.50 since the plan started in Jul00. |
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0.529
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12M |
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
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If you go with Scana's one-rate plan, this is the "two-part rate" you get if you don't use enough gas in the summer months. This plan mirrors the normal fixed plan with the same 12 month commitment and termination fees. HISTORY: Gas price: Jan01 0.779, Feb01 0.719. Transportation fees have been 8.50 since the plan started in Jul00. |
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| Shell
Energy Services 888-350-7435 |
0.99
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | |||||||
| Customer service Mon 8a-8a, Sat 8a-5p. HISTORY: Gas price: Aug99 0.41, Sep99-Oct99 0.44, Nov99 0.46, Dec99 0.50, Jan00 0.47, Feb00 0.46, Mar00 0.46, Apr00 0.48, May00 0.51, Jun00 0.54, Jul00 0.63, Aug00 0.61, Sep00 0.62, Oct00 0.74, Nov00 0.76, Dec00 0.78, Jan01 1.29, Feb01 1.14. Customer service fee increased 10/1/1999 from 1.85, again 4/1/2000 from 3.24, and again 10/1/2000 from 3.95. | |||||||||||||||||
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0.79
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4.95
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3/21/2001 | ||||||||
| Note that if you are a Shell customer, Shell will generally switch you to the lowest current fixed rate if you ask. HISTORY: Gas price: Jan99-Mar99 0.39, Apr99-Jun99 0.40, Jul99-Aug99 0.41, Sep99-Jan00 0.45, Feb00 0.45, Mar00 0.47, Apr00-May00 0.49, Jun00 0.54, Jul00 0.60, Aug00-Sep00 0.59, Oct00-Nov00 0.67, Dec00 0.69, Jan01 0.89, Feb01 0.79. Customer service fee increased 10/1/1999 from 1.85, again 4/1/2000 from 3.24, and again 10/1/2000 from 3.95. | |||||||||||||||||
| Marketer Notes | This listing includes the natural gas marketers certified by the Georgia Public Service Commission | |||||||||||||||||||||
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AGL Base Charge
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All marketers on this list include the AGL "base charge" on their bills. The charge AGL passes through to the marketers is essentially the same as the "base charge" on former AGL bills, but many of the marketers adjust this charge in some way. See this for a detailed breakdown. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Switching Providers
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Switch providers free once in 12 months (contract permitting). Marketers can charge up to $7.50 (per GA PSC) for more frequent switches. There is also a $25 switching charge imposed by AGL unless you need a new meter (new construction) in which case it is $50. Additional switching or contract termination fees as indicated. If you move out of a marketer's service area, any contract is terminated without fee. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Taxes
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Bills from all marketers will add local sales tax and possibly a "special county tax" on the entire amount of the bill. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Residential Averages
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The average residential DDDC is 1.29, average annual residential consumption is 887 therms, and average monthly residential consumption by month is: Jan 162, Feb 166, Mar 134, Apr 72, May 34, Jun 22, Jul 22, Aug 22, Sep 22, Oct 30, Nov 62, Dec 132. This data is from 1999, so things may have changed since then (but probably not by much). | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Late Fees
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All marketers charge some sort of fee on late payments. It is generally a percentage of the amount due or a fixed fee like $10. Note that the late fees can vary widely, so if you expect to pay these you should investigate more. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Table Key | This listing explains the notation in each heading area where it might be unclear. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Price Adjustments
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Price adjustments (increases) for fixed plans are generally guaranteed not to occur sooner than the intervals indicated (e.g., 12M = 12 months). When this column lists "variable," the marketer's rate is adjusted monthly based on commodity gas and transportation rates. Note that variable rates can generally be whatever the marketer decides. There is no legal or regulatory requirement that their pricing follow the market. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Deposit
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Deposits are required by some marketers. Those listed as "credit" determine deposit based on individual creditworthiness. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Transportation Fees
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Interstate transportation (sometimes called "pipeline") fees are recovered by all marketers. Most include the transportation fees in their single "per therm " rate. However, some break out these fees separately and charge based on your DDDC, usage, or some other factor. These fees are how the marketer bills you for the costs they incur in using interstate pipelines to move gas from the well to the AGL storage system. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Customer Service Fee
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If a "customer service fee" appears anywhere on your bill, your marketer is collecting it, not AGL (be aware that it may not appear as a line item on your bill, but be rolled up into the base charge numbers). This is somewhat irregular since in no other competitive industry do marketers charge specifically for customer service, but instead include it as part of the product or service price. This whole thing seems a lot like an attempt at adding "hidden charges." I have specified "customer service" fees where known. Some of the marketers include the AGL Meter Reading charge in their Customer Service Fee line item rather than leaving it in the AGL Base Charge section. From this one might assume that the marketer is reading the meters rather than AGL, but it is unlikely that this is the case. In the table above I quoted the Customer Service Fee amounts as reported by the marketers. Therefore there may be some inconsistency in calculating bills among the marketers between those who quote customer service with the meter fee built in and those who don't. Worst case, you will be off by 71 cents per month. |
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Billing Terms
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Billing intervals are indicated as M = monthly. Also indicated is days between the billing date and the date the bill is considered late where known. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Budget Billing
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Many marketers offer "budget billing" whereby you pay a fixed monthly rate and settle any difference annually. Several indicated that if you opt for budget billing for the first time with them, they must establish usage for a few months before it can begin. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Comments | In this section I mention any promotions or specials, customer service hours (all times Eastern), and historical pricing information. Marketers frequently change details of their plans and often change rates mid-month, so historical data has been difficult to track with perfect accuracy. | |||||||||||||||||||||
© 2001 Barry E. Newton. All rights reserved.