Xcel Energy natural-gas customers are likely to save on November heating bills compared with November 2005. However, given the arrival of cold and blustery weather, customers are expected to watch their bills more than double compared with this month.
Xcel on Wednesday proposed to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission a rate jumping from almost 40 cents per therm this month to almost 58 cents per therm next month. If approved, the price change would take effect Nov. 1 and be in effect only for next month.
Given that residential and small-business customers typically use far more natural gas in November, their bills are expected to rise sharply. The average residential customer will use 83 percent more natural gas next month compared with this month, Xcel said. If a customer uses 99.7 therms in November, the resulting bill would be $81.47. That compares with use this month of 54.5 therms and a bill of $39.39.
Typical small-business customers will double their use of natural gas in November compared with this month, Xcel said. Their overall bills next month would be $378.71 based on consumption of 489.8 therms. The average bill this month of $155.90 is based on the use of 245.2 therms.
Xcel was quick to note that the rates proposed for next month could mean bills 35 percent lower than those of November 2005.
“The change in use from October to November is one of the most dramatic of the year,” said Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz.
Staff writer Christine Tatum can be reached at 303-954-1503 or ctatum@denverpost.com.
