Public Utilities Board drops natural gas price (Canada)

Updated: Tue Apr. 28 2009 11:42:38

www.ctvwinnipeg.ca

There is some good news for homeowners and anyone else required to pay their own natural gas bills.

In a bid to properly reflect cost of the product, the price of natural gas supplied by Centra Gas is dropping, a lot.

Effective May 1, 2009 the average customer will see a decrease of $90 on their bill.

If you are not the average customer you can work it out for yourself, it is 7.5 percent less.

Large volume customers, typically commercial, will save even more with a reduction in the 8.1 to 11.3 percent range.

The drop coincides with the drastic decrease in oil prices, and while the Public Utilities Board (PUB) recognizes the volatility of the price of oil and gas, it does not believe prices are going to rise significantly in the near future.

The next price review is scheduled to take place in Aug. 2009, but The PUB does not anticipate increases then, and at this stage indicates that prices may fall again.

Falling prices are not exactly a ringing endorsement to work towards energy efficiency, but the Centra Gas' parent company Manitoba Hydro continues to encourage Manitobans to take advantage of its energy efficiency programs.

The PUB says world economic conditions lend themselves to lower prices for the foreseeable future.

For more information visit the Public Utilities Website www.pub.gov.mb.ca