Power companies are also utilizing more natural gas than normal to meet their electric demands. All of which can lead to the situation we are seeing now. When demand for natural gas exceeds the resources available in the pipe, key factors like pipeline pressure are affected and the results can be customers being shut down.

It’s important to note that this is a rare occurrence as the nation’s pipeline system is one of the most reliable in the world. But safety is the top priority, so customers must be shut down when this does occur – it’s a safety protocol.

Natural gas utilities are doing everything they can to get more natural gas into the lines and ensure that folks have the gas they need to stay safe and warm. Part of this process will require customers who have been shut off to be safely re-lit by their natural gas utility.

To that end, the natural gas utility will need to gain access to affected homes or buildings in order to re-light customers. Customers who are away from their home for an extended period, due to vacation or for other reasons, should contact their utility directly to see what arrangements can be made to restore service.

Safety is always the first priority, and the customers affected should follow the lead of their local natural gas company. In no instance, should anyone seek to re-light any natural gas appliances themselves.

Lord of the Shadow Watchers, Czar of the Land Beavers, King of the Rodents, Master of Marmots and the Grand Poobah of Woodchucks is, of course, the one and the only Punxsutawney Phil of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  

In fact, many towns that celebrate Groundhog Day throughout our temperate continent have their own burrowing forecasters including, Smith Lake Jake, Staten Island Chuck, Shubenacadie Sam and Wiarton Willie.

The preservation of these regional celebrities is undeniably a display of faith in the power of the groundhog to predict the weather forecast for the next six weeks.

AGA cannot speculate if a groundhog can predict the weather.  We can, however, remind consumers that natural gas, come snow or sun, will save you money and energy. 

If spring does come early, as Phil seems to believe, you will still enjoy all the comfort and peace of mind that natural gas in the home delivers.  Perhaps you will be able to fire up your gas grill a little sooner, which will save you money and energy when cooking.

Or maybe, Phil is wrong and winter will linger.  Not to worry, friends.  Heating your house with natural gas for the remainder of winter will keep those long hot showers affordable and eco-friendly.

Let us know below what you think of Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction…is it just wishful thinking?




A great video on LIHEAP.

Vivian Lausevic, our LIHEAP guru, sent an email with more good news yesterday saying the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee completed mark-up of the FY 2010 bill also providing full funding – $5.1 billion – for LIHEAP next year. The full committee is set to vote on the bill Thursday (tomorrow).

When we did LIHEAP Action Day back in February, there was real concern that this funding would drop. I’m glad to see it hasn’t. With the way the economy is, these funds will be critical in helping to keep many American families warm this winter.

Dave sums it up nicely when he says, “When the weather turns cold, families who are already struggling to make ends meet must struggle even harder or risk the ravages of living with little or no heat. With adequate funding, Congress can ease this situation and ensure these families stay on their feet financially, rather than fall into a dangerous downward spiral along with winter temperatures.”

LIHEAP is something that’s easy to get behind and the natural gas utilities do. Natural gas utilities provide more than $1.7 billion annually in program assistance to needy families.

Visit aga.org to read the full press release commending Chairman Obey and the U.S. House of Representatives.

A few years ago, my community was hit hard by Hurricane Isabel. Some people were without power for more than a week. Horrible. Imagine being without water for a week. At least it was warm out so people weren’t freezing. We’re not always that lucky.

So that’s why whenever I read stories like this one about people losing their power in the recent ice storm, I totally empathize. But what caught my eye about this story was:

“Crews from Canada and as far away as Virginia and Michigan were assisting in restoring power lines.”

My background is in communications and marketing with a slant towards the Web. I just came on board at AGA a few months ago so I’m in total learn mode. I had heard about the “assisting in restoring power lines” concept before but had never really given it much thought.

As I asked about this news around the office, I was told, “this happens all the time.” Really? “Yes, this is a common practice in the utility world.”

While it may be common practice, I still think this is a big deal. . People pulling together in times of crisis to help others IS always a big deal and doesn’t happen often enough today, IMHO.

I’m working now to figure out which of our members are involved in this initiative, because we always want to promote our members J, but if you know of a utility in your area that has dispatched help, let us know in the comments below. Stories like these, and the one we have to tell about Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), are the ones we need people to know about. It’s important.

“But wait!” you say. “I read that the price of energy, including natural gas, has been dropping like a stone. Won’t that make my monthly bill cheaper?”

The cold hard fact is: Your monthly natural gas bill may well be less than original forecasts, but probably not less than last year.

Here is why.  Much of the natural gas that customers will use this winter was actually purchased and put in storage this past summer when natural gas prices were higher than they are today.   Buying natural gas “off-season” – in the summer – is a long-standing tradition that is approved by those who regulate the natural gas industry.

So why buy gas off-season?

First, because it is traditionally plentiful in the summer, meaning buying it then ensures that there is plenty of natural gas when winter comes and gas demand skyrockets.

Second, being “off-season,” the summer months are traditionally a time when natural gas prices are lower.  It’s like planning a vacation. It’s cheaper to vacation in Jamaica in the summer because that’s “off-season” when the demand for Jamaican vacations is way down.  The same principle holds for natural gas. Since it’s used primarily as a heating fuel, demand for it is low when the weather is already warm. So prices are usually less.

This year has been different because the demand for all fuels, from natural gas to oil to coal, was higher than normal this past summer due to global competition for energy.  Since then, the global economy has slowed drastically which just as drastically has reduced energy demand.  That means lower prices now than in the summer.

Overall the Energy Information Agency forecasts natural gas prices slightly lower than last year, but so far the winter weather has been colder than last year, meaning more gas will be used for heating purposes. If that continues your monthly natural gas bill will be about the same.

The good news is that more and more natural gas utilities now are working with their customers to increase conservation and the efficiency of natural gas use.   By winterizing their homes, by lowering their thermostat, and by using the most efficient natural gas end-use appliances, natural gas customers can save energy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

And that’s a fact that’s neither cold nor hard.