Choosing a Natural Gas Supplier - Pennsylvania
Energy Choices for Residential Customers
Since the early 1980s, gas Utilities in Pennsylvania have been providing transportation service for larger, nonresidential customers who contracted with a Natural Gas Supplier to secure gas supplies. More recently, the state governments have decided to bring the benefits of energy choice to small businesses and residential customers, so non-utility suppliers have begun to market their services to these customers.
Gas Restructuring Filing
As part of the Natural Gas Choice and Competition Act signed into law by the Governor, each natural gas Utility in the commonwealth was required to submit a restructuring plan to the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by November 1, 1999. The filings are intended to show how the utility companies will allow customers to access competitive gas supplies sold by PUC-licensed natural gas suppliers.
National Fuel's plan to address supplier choice and other requirements of the law was filed October 1, 1999. Under the plan, National Fuel's customers are able to choose their own natural gas supplier, as they have since the company's system-wide choice plan became effective on March 4, 1999. The restructuring filing was designed to bring the Company's existing choice program into compliance with the new law. You may view the Company's filing, but note that it will open up in Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click on the following link to proceed:
Natural Gas Choice and Competition Act Filing Docket No. R-00994785
Choosing a Natural Gas Supplier
National Fuel would like to remind its customers that persons coming to their home on behalf of the Utility carry photo identification.
- National Fuel's employees DO have need to visit customers' homes for operational purposes including meter reading, construction work and in the case of an emergency. These persons will carry an identification card and will produce that identification without resistance if asked for it.
- National Fuel employees do NOT visit customers' homes to discuss account matters, to view a customer's gas bill or to ask them to sign any sort of agreement.
Click here to learn more.
What Choice Means
Over the past few years, the natural gas industry has undergone the process of deregulation. As part of that process, natural gas customers now have the option to purchase gas from their Utility or a non-Utility natural gas supplier, also called a Marketer. This change was directed by regulators in the hopes of replacing traditional regulated Utility service with a competitive retail marketplace where the Utility would continue to provide delivery of natural gas through its pipeline system but where customers would be free to purchase their natural gas supply from a competitive supplier, if they so desired.
It's important that you know that no matter whom you choose to supply your natural gas, National Fuel will be there to deliver it to you — even if the supplier you choose isn't us. It's still our job to deliver your gas through our pipeline network to service your home or business. So no matter what choice you make, we'll be there to deliver natural gas to your home, safely and reliably.
Safety & Delivery
Whether you decide to have National Fuel or a Natural Gas Supplier provide your natural gas supplies, the choice is up to you. But when it comes to your service, you can be assured that National Fuel will be there to maintain the pipeline network that serves your home or business, and to respond if there's an emergency. We'll continue to deliver natural gas to your home - safely, efficiently and reliably, just like we have for the past 100 years. Even if the natural gas supplier you choose isn't us.
Because we own and are responsible for the thousands of miles of pipeline serving our customers, even if you decide to purchase your gas from another company, you should continue to report gas emergencies and other safety problems to our 24-hour emergency number: 1-800-444-3130.
Making A Choice
When considering other natural gas suppliers, you should take the same approach as you would in contracting for other services for your home. Ask about rates, request references and take the time to speak with current customers. To help you with this process, we have composed a list of questions to ask Natural Gas Suppliers. To view our list of questions, click here.
If you choose to purchase your gas from a Natural Gas Supplier, National Fuel will be notified of your decision and we will send you a letter to confirm your intent. Your account will be updated automatically and you will receive your future bills from either National Fuel or the Natural Gas Supplier, if they provide that service. In some cases, depending upon which Natural Gas Supplier you choose, you may receive one bill from National Fuel and one bill from the Natural Gas Supplier.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission must license and National Fuel must authorize natural gas suppliers seeking to sell natural gas to customers on our utility pipeline system. Although we cannot recommend a particular supplier or guarantee its performance, we can provide you with a list of authorized Natural Gas Suppliers. To view this list of authorized Natural Gas Suppliers, please see below.
Understanding Your Gas Bill
Under the traditional arrangement, National Fuel purchases gas for you, passes on that cost without mark up, and delivers the gas supply to you at a regulated rate that includes our costs of doing business. To assist you in understanding your natural gas bill so that you can make a choice of natural gas suppliers, and to help you differentiate between your supplier costs and the delivery costs, your bill format lists Gas Supply Charges and Delivery Service Charges separately. Click here to view a sample of what this section may look like on your bill.
Gas Supply Charges are the actual costs of the natural gas you purchased from National Fuel, or, if you choose, from an authorized Natural Gas Supplier.
Delivery Service Charges are the costs of delivering gas to you through National Fuel's pipeline system, which is owned and operated by the Utility. These costs are regulated by the state regulatory agencies in New York and Pennsylvania and are the same price for all of our customers, no matter which supplier you choose.
If you choose to purchase your gas from another supplier, National Fuel will be notified of your decision and we will send you a letter confirming your intent to switch. Your account will be updated automatically and depending on the supplier, you may receive a separate bill for your gas supply from your new gas provider and a bill for the delivery service from National Fuel.
Price to Compare
Compare National Fuel's current gas commodity charge listed on the back of your gas bill under Gas Supply Charges with the rate offered by other eligible suppliers: The current commodity charge is $0.49238 per ccf. This rate is typically adjusted quarterly (Feb., May, Aug., Nov.) to the commodity market price.
Questions to Ask Gas Suppliers
When considering natural gas suppliers, you should use the same thorough approach you take in contracting other services for your home or business. The more research you do, the more educated your decision will be. Here is a list of questions designed to help you make a choice that is right for you:
- Were you found eligible by the New York State Public Service Commission or Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, as applicable, and National Fuel to provide sales service in National Fuel's service territory? (Please note that National Fuel's determination of eligibility is not an endorsement of that supplier's service or reputation).
- How long have you been a natural gas supplier? How many customers do you have?
- What are your rates and how do they compare to my current rates?
- Are your prices fixed, or can they go up or down during the year as gas costs change?
- What are my payment options? Do you have balanced billing, direct pay or accept credit card payments? Do you charge for these services?
- What is the term of the contract? Will I be penalized if I break the contract?
- What happens if I move from my current address?
- Does your price include all fees and taxes? Do you assess a late payment charge?
- How can I be sure that my bills are accurate?
- Is a basic service charge assessed even if I don't use any gas?
- Can an energy assistance grant like LIHEAP/HEAP or Neighbor for Neighbor be applied to my account?
- How will I be billed? Will I receive a consolidate bill or separate bills from the Utility and the Natural Gas Supplier?
- Who will I call for billing questions? What are your business hours?
- Do you provide any other energy-related services?
- What happens if your company folds while I am under contract with you?
- Will your price be less than what I would have paid as a customer of National Fuel?
- What special services do you offer handicapped, elderly or payment-troubled customers?
- Do you have a special low-income or senior citizen discount rate?
- Do you offer discounts based on gas volume used?
- Do you have a small business rate?
- Where do you obtain your gas supplies?
- Will I be required to pay a security deposit or make advance payments?
- Are you authorized to terminate my gas service without initiating a transfer of my service back to the utility?
Authorized Gas Suppliers
Please click on the link below to find a listing of authorized suppliers by category:
Pennsylvania
- Authorized SATS Suppliers
Important Notice: Electronic versions of official documents may differ from the hard copy version available from National Fuel. Information provided on this Web site is intended to provide immediate access to the substance of documents; however, appendices may be omitted from the text. Due to software differences, footnotes may be omitted from the text; document words and lines spacing, text position and page numbers may differ from the hard copy version. Although results may vary depending on your software package, it is recommended that downloading and printing be performed. To obtain documents in hard copy, please contact Rates & Regulatory Affairs by telephone at (716) 857-7414 or by e-mail.