Xcel Energy customers get lower December bills after natural gas prices drop
Xcel Energy has an early holiday gift for its customers. Thanks to a drop in wholesale natural gas prices, customers can anticipate a lower-than-expected amount on their December bills.
That amounts to a $33 drop from what was previously estimated for the month for residential customers and $140 decrease for small businesses.
This week, Xcel submitted an "interim fuel price adjustment" to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to reflect a drop in the commodity price of natural gas for December. That previously submitted natural gas cost to the PUC took effect in October.
Commodity adjustments are submitted to the PUC every three months with the adjustment for the first quarter of 2023 filed in mid-December.
Xcel Energy provided a breakdown of the natural gas price changes comparing the current rates approved Oct. 1 to the December proposed rates below:
GCA |
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| Q4 '22 |
| December '22 |
|
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| ||
| Average Therm |
| Commodity |
|
| Commodity |
|
| Bill $ | Bill % |
| Usage |
| Price | Bill |
| Price | Bill |
| Change | Change |
Residential | 131.3 |
| $1.0092 | $197.75 |
| $0.7576 | $164.71 |
| -$33.04 | -16.71% |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Small Business | 560.3 |
| $1.0041 | $796.74 |
| $0.7525 | $655.76 |
| -$140.98 | -17.69% |
Xcel Energy said that even with the drop in natural gas prices, the cost of natural gas remains higher than it has been in recent years.
Additional Information from Xcel Energy:
Xcel Energy encourages customers to explore ways to conserve energy and lower their bills by finding energy saving tips at xcelenergy.com/tips or learning more about energy efficiency programs and options at xcelenergy.com/programs_and_rebates.
Customers are also encouraged to contact Xcel Energy if they're having trouble paying their bill. The company can provide customers with options such as payment plans, energy assistance programs or an Averaged Monthly Payment. Customers can learn more about Xcel Energy's energy assistance programs at xcelenergy.com/EnergyAssistance or call 1-800-895-4999.
