UGI Gas customers will pay a little bit less for natural gas this winter. UGI Utilities, Inc. announced that it was lowering its purchased gas cost rates effective Dec. 1, due to continued lower wholesale natural gas costs.
As a result, the average residential heating customer’s bill will decrease approximately 3.8 percent, from $89.55 to $86.17 per month.
With this decrease, the average monthly bill for customers will be 43% lower than it was on June 1, 2008. UGI most recently decreased rates by 4.3% on March 1, 2012 and also by 13.5% on Dec. 1, 2011.
‘We’re pleased to pass on this additional natural gas cost reduction to our customers,’ said Vicki O. Ebner, Senior Vice President, Customer and Government Relations. ‘We are especially pleased to see this reduction in purchased gas costs at a time when our economy is beginning to expand and demand for energy is increasing.’
By law, utilities cannot earn a profit on the natural gas commodity portion of a customer’s bill. They are required to pass the cost of the natural gas they purchase directly through to customers without any markup. Purchased gas cost rates may be adjusted quarterly.
In addition, UGI offers a free Budget Billing Plan that is designed to spread payments out evenly each month. Customers with a limited or fixed income are encouraged to call UGI at 1-800-UGI-WARM (844-9276) to determine if they are eligible for one of several energy assistance programs. Finally, any customer who is behind on their gas bills should contact UGI as soon as possible to discuss a payment arrangement.
UGI’s Gas Division is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania and serves approximately 320,000 customers in 15 southeastern Pennsylvania counties, including customers in and around Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Hazleton, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Reading.
Additional information about UGI’s Gas Division is available at www.ugi.com
