(Natural) Gas rates jump to record highs

[RamboLiberal]

Regional story - has we all know this is happening nationally. btw this is Dicky Mellon Scaife's rag reporting this.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_409148.html

The region's three major natural gas companies increased rates to record highs Friday for the second straight quarter, with Dominion Peoples pumping up rates by nearly 18 percent. The average monthly bill for a Dominion customer will jump from $142.96 to $162.87 for 8.6 thousand cubic feet, or mcf, of natural gas.

Columbia Gas increased rates 5.9 percent and Equitable Gas Co., 3.9 percent. Columbia's average monthly bill will be $155.33, and Equitable's, $152.89. The new rates, filed with the state Public Utility Commission, take effect Sunday. The three companies serve more than 920,000 customers.

"These are just terrible results, and I'm not sure what can be done," state Consumer Advocate Irwin "Sonny" Popowsky said. "I've been doing this job for 25 years, and I've never seen anything like this before."

<snip>

While natural gas price futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange appear to have peaked, Popowsky said it's too late.

"These next three months are the months of most usage," Popowsky said. "We've hit a plateau, but at such a ridiculously high level that it's just not acceptable. I'm not sure what can be done, but Congress has got to act."

Don't hold your breath Mr. Poposwky waiting for Congress to act - nothing will happen unless those Repuke pigs decide the voters are going to throw them out on their ass over this raping of the consumer.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. No biggie.

[lovuian]

2. People are going to be HOWLING at their Gas Prices...

this is going to be just the beginning I fear...

[AnnieBW]

3. Hook Up A Pipe

To Flush Limpball's ass. That will solve our natural gas crisis! :D

[spooky3]

4. How about a Cong. investigation of WHY these prices have skyrocketed

The gas co. officials just talk about supply and demand, but those forces haven't changed enough to account for the huge change in the prices. Even they admit that Katrina is not a factor. Their story sounds as believable as those of Enron, re: California energy problems.

[barb162]

12. Actually Katrina was a problem; the lines were damaged

and natural gas is getting more scarce as electricity companies are using gas peaker plants in the summer

I was very glad there was a warmup about a week ago; that will help a lot of people save on their gas heating bills

[spooky3]

15. I'm citing what gas industry executives themselves have said

on TV interviews here (DC are). They said that Katrina is NOT a factor now; the transmission lines have been restored. The demand cycle you cited is the same every year, so that can't account for a 40% spike.

[cantstandbush]

5. People would not speak out against the Cheney secret energy cabal.

People will not speak out against Bush admin secrecy andn collusion with energy conglomerates. Silence is costly!

[4dsc]

6. Tell them to get use to it

You really don't think that the people at the top of all this really care about the aveage American?? They are laughing all the way to the bank..

Time to nationalize the energy industry!!

[Psephos]

8. Like Gazprom in Russia?

47,000,000 Ukrainians might disagree with you.

Just a thought...

Peace.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. Ukraine is either going to pay the freight, or get the gas from....

...somewhere else, or take it from somebody by force.

It's going to get just as interesting over there as it's going to get in the U. S.

[Psephos]

11. I agree

but I think getting it from somewhere else isn't going to work. Ukraine has no LNG port and no major alternate pipelines, nor any about to come into service.

War is not an option. Who would Ukraine attack? Kruschenko may be a fighter, but he is not a warmonger, in any event.

The major Russian pipeline to Europe is also the major Russian pipeline to Ukraine, which will, as you say, make this interesting indeed. European pressure on Russia is going to be immense but largely sub rosa. This will cause the Euros to think hard about buying so much gas in the future from a man with an itchy valve finger.

Peace.

[Historic NY]

7. I got my bill already....right after Christmas...

and my county & local tax bill.......:mad:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. Those of us with electricity only are already howling...up at least 35%...

...over this time last year.

The big question is "Why"?? And the answer is "Look who's in power"!

[LostinVA]

14. My power bill was about 40% higher this month

Electric may not be as much of a sticker shock as natural gas, but that 40% hurts like hell... and we're keeping it cool all day and evening, and downright cold at night.

[depakid]

13. "...I'm not sure what can be done"

Nothing except shortsighted subsidies.

Natural gas is past peak production in North America. There's nowhere for the moving average to go but up.