Natural Gas (again)

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Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Mon Jul 22, 2019 6:01 am

AEP added a $2.79/Mcf plan over the weekend. It's for six months, which is typical this time of year because it leaves you stranded for half the winter. They're hoping it will slip your mind and they can move you to a variable rate plan in February. AEP is not showing a variable rate plan now (no surprise) but you can bet there will be one by the fall and it will be like $5.59/Mcf or something in that neighborhood. The good news with the $2.79 AEP plan is that there is no early termination fee. so if/when something better comes along you can grab it. If I didn't have my current plan, or was on Dominion's SCO, I'd grab the AEP offer. And I'd check rates once a week, and I'd for sure switch about 2-3 weeks after getting bill #4 of 6.

I swear I think the $2.39/Mcf plan that Santanna had was a "friends and family" plan that got put up on a Friday evening and taken off on a Tuesday morning, and only friends and family were specifically alerted to it. That's how good it was. Heck the wholesale "spot" price of natural gas at the Henry Hub is about $2.25/Mcf right now. And headed higher as winter gets closer.


Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Fri Sep 06, 2019 10:52 am

There have been some decent plans over the last few weeks. But now's the time of year they disappear. And with the wholesale spot price of natural gas at the Henry Hub now at $2.50, which is up about 20 cents this week, your last chance is this weekend. Click the link below then click on the $/MCF column to sort the lowest prices to the top. Ignore the variable rate stuff.

https://energychoice.ohio.gov/ApplesToA ... RateCode=1

Of note are two plans from Santanna, again. One is six months at $2.39. That's below wholesale! It will get you through the bulk of the winter but you have to remember to find another plan a few days before you get your fifth bill (of six) with Santanna as the supplier. The other is 12 months at $2.59. That's a very good 12-month rate.

These rates will stay up for the weekend and probably on Monday but if spot prices don't drop significantly on Monday they'll both disappear on Tuesday. Grab your Dominion bill before you call or go online, you'll need your Dominion account number. By the way, signing up is very easy to do online, it takes about 10 minutes. Good luck.


Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Tue May 05, 2020 8:59 am

I don't have a lot of time to elaborate, but as of now Santanna has a 12-month contract available for $1.99/MCF. And the wholesale (spot) price of natural gas is $2.12 and spiking upward. So if you want to get your natural gas for under wholesale all the way through next winter, you'll call them ASAP. I did about a week ago. I was already on Santanna and they let me switch to the lower price without paying the early termination fee on the old contract, because I also use them for electric. Or if you're new to Santanna they'll take you. The links you need are on an earlier post or you can call them at 866-439-0901. Have your most recent utility bill in front of you and be prepared to wait on hold. But $1.99/MCF for 12 months is an unbeatable rate and will save you a lot of money next winter.


Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Sun May 10, 2020 8:13 pm

Santanna's 12-month plan at $1.99/mcf is gone. They're at $2.39/mcf now, which is still the lowest available 12-month price. That's still a pretty good price but the wholesale price is now back under $2.00/mcf so if you didn't get the $1.99 price I think I'd wait.


Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Wed Aug 12, 2020 7:51 pm

Santanna is now at $2.09/MCF for their six-month plan, and $2.19/MCF for the 12-month plan. Those are lower prices than I've seen in months, and the spot price is about $2.19 so either is a good deal if you're not already situated. The six-month plan will get you through the fat part of the winter but I think I'd pay the extra dime and go 12 month. The links and phone numbers are above. Grab your bill first. Both plans have a $100 early termination fee but I don't think that will matter.


Tim Liston
Posts: 751
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:10 pm

Re: Natural Gas (again)

Postby Tim Liston » Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:59 am

Natural Gas….

As you can see I follow natural gas prices pretty closely and I keep up with Ohio’s Apples to Apples options and try to save money. Most times quite successfully.

If you don’t follow natural gas prices, and if they stay where they are now into next winter, you are in for a very unpleasant surprise. At the beginning of 2022 natural gas cost about $4.00 per million BTUs wholesale. Now less than six months later natural gas is hovering at around $9.50 per million BTUs, wholesale. Which is to say your 2022-23 winter heating bill will more than double.

Very fortunately for me, my last contract ran out as last winter was ending, and I snagged a three-year agreement with AEP at $4.69, retail. I decided to go three years because there was no early termination fee, and prices had started rising. I now have three winters coming, half off.

But even with the gigantic increase, it’s still possible to get a pretty good deal. The Apples to Apples site for Dominion East Ohio is still showing 2-3 multiyear opportunities between $6 and $7, with no early termination fee, including AEP (an Ohio company). You might want to think about picking one of them up. If prices stay high, you’ll save a bunch of money next winter. If prices drop substantially (unlikely I think) you can switch with no termination fee. But natural gas prices rarely drop as winter is approaching, though it’s certainly possible.

https://energychoice.ohio.gov/ApplesToA ... RateCode=1 (and click on $/MCF to sort the best prices to the top. Make sure to understand fixed vs. variable rate. BTW by coincidence, it takes just about 1M CF to produce 1MM BTUs.)

I encourage you to check it out. If you decide to lock in a rate, It takes about five minutes from the time you click the “Sign Up” link to the time you get your confirmation email. Grab a Dominion bill before you do, you’ll need your Dominion account number. Good luck!



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