natural gas prices

For the first time in many moons, there is a reason to look at gas choice. Because of an unusually high spike in natural gas prices in July and then a sudden drop of prices on July 4th, gas choice suppliers were able to jump in and lock in some prices that will take us through the winter.

If you are already a gas choice customer with Dominion Peoples Plus, remember, you don't get if you don't ask. If you are two dollars over the latest price, you will stay there if you do not call and ask for the lower price.

The number to call is 1-800-400-5648. Check your price and ask about the latest price for new customers. If you ask for it, the savings is yours.

What are the prices? Remember that each gas company gets its own price. If you are a Dominion Peoples Gas customer or an Equitable Gas customer, you can't take advantage of a Columbia Gas offer.

If you are a Columbia Gas customer and never joined gas choice, you are paying Columbia Gas $1.42 per ccf or hundred cubic feet of gas. Call the

number above and you can lock in a price of $1.09 through September, 2009. That sounds like the kind of savings that makes the switch worth while. If you were already a Dominion Peoples Plus customer, you are probably on a variable rate now and should definitely make that call and lock in the new lower rate.

Dominion Peoples Gas customers? You can lock in $12.45 per mcf or thousand cubic feet of gas, instead of the $13.43 you are paying now.

Equitable customers? It's your choice, but if you aren't already a gas choice customer, I think you might want to stay put at Equitable. I don't see an advantage for you.

If you are an Equitable customer and already a Dominion Peoples Plus customer, call, check your price. You can lock in $14.00 per mcf as opposed to $13.59. That may not look like a great price but it is. If you have been with a choice company for more than a year, you no longer have to pay that gas cost adjustment charge on your bill. Equitable's gas cost adjustment charge right now is $2.87 per mcf. So, in fact you are comparing the DPP offer of $14.00 per mcf with Equitable's $14.00 plus $2.87 or $16.46. That's a nice savings through the winter. All of these offers are good through September, 2009.