Xcel asks to raise gas rate in August - 19%

Rocky Mountain News

Colorado's biggest utility, Xcel Energy, on Friday asked for a natural gas rate hike for August.

The proposed price is 19 percent higher than this month - and 126 percent higher than in August 2007 - reflecting the increased price of natural gas in the state.

If approved, a typical residential customer's gas bill next month will be $31.64, 12 percent higher than this month's $28.19 because customers generally use less natural gas in summer months. But August's bill will be 46 percent higher than the $21.62 charge in August 2007.

Xcel does not profit from the sale of the natural gas commodity to its customers. All costs associated with increases or decreases in the commodity price of natural gas are passed along to customers, the utility says.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/18/xcel-asks-to-raise-gas-rate-in-august/

speculation.

Demand out the ass.

Natural Gas has been on the rise for a long time...this latest oil spurt seems to have kicked it into hyperdrive. I know in this area (near Chicago), most people use Gas and we've seen our bills double each year. The fortunate thing is they offer an "installment plan" here that sets us at a pre-arranged amount for the year...paying more in the summer so we don't have as big a bite in the winter. Our yearly renewal comes up in September, I'm bracing for the worst.

There's been little attention paid to the large amounts of gas and oil that are currently being held off the market...much of it within the U.S. and North America...that is more valuable in the ground than it in your heating system or car. The game here is to keep enough supply flowing as not to have shortages or outages...people won't tolerate gas lines, but to keep the supply "scarce" enough to justify higher prices.

Remember that these corporations exist to enrich the shareholders. Artificially limiting the supply would mean that the profit per unit of fuel sold can be maximized.

because of something underhanded and leads straight to Bush Co...

Natural Gas is under the category of minerals.. there are deposits all over the US.. and minerals can be purchased even if you own the land on top.. you don't own the land under.. So, Busch Co. bought the rights to minerals. They own many, many natural gas deposits.. They then lease the natural gas to the companies who provide the natural gas.... Essentially, Bush Co. is upping the price of their mineral rights and their lease agreements.. The empire is making money all over the place.. you just don't know about it. I have found different sources of info over time working where I do and chit-chatting with various people who work at various places who are willing to talk to a "desk clerk" because really... who am I and who do I know and what's it going to matter anyways... This buy up of minerals took place around 2000 and 2001. I never knew this about it before, but it makes entirely wayyy too much actual sense why the price of natural gas has increased so dramatically since 2000.