May 2012 – Do You Have Pennsylvania’s Oldest Refrigerator?
December 2011 – Be Prepared and Plan Ahead For an Electric Service Outage
April 2011 – Nationwide Drug Take-back Day Set for April 30, 2011
March 2011 – EPA’s Fix a Leak Week Tips
July 2010 – HYPERTHERMIA: TOO HOT FOR YOUR HEALTH
July 2009 – Tips For Older Adults To Combat Heat-Related Illnesses
May 2009 – How Much Water Are We Using?
February 2009 – HYPOTHERMIA: A COLD WEATHER RISK FOR OLDER PEOPLE
January 2009 – How to Make A Donation to a Hardship Fund
July 2008 – Recycling Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
May 2008 – May is National Safe Digging Month and the OCA Reminds You to Call Before You Dig!
April 2008 – Spring into Action: How Landscaping Can Help with Home Energy Efficiency
February 2008 – Hold on to Heat
October 2007 – Are You Having Trouble Paying Your Monthly Gas and Electric Bills?
August 2007 – BEWARE OF CHANGES IN CALLING DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
April 2007 – BEWARE OF RATE CHANGES FOR IN-STATE CALLS MADE WITH AT&T PRE-PAID PHONE CARDS
January 2007 – The Energy Policy Act of 2005 offers consumers credits on their federal income tax returns.
September 2006 – Governor Rendell Again Expands Heating Assistance for Low-Income Pennsylvanians.
June 2006 – Lower Summer Electric Use
October 2005 – Prepare Now for Winter Heating Bills
September 2005 – Prepare Now for Winter Heating Bills
July 2005 – The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate Offers Tips for Lowering Summer Energy Costs
June 2005 – Directory Assistance Via the Internet
May 2005 – Safe and Adequate Water Service at Just and Reasonable Rates
April 2005 – Do your plans for Spring include digging in the yard?
March 2005 – Lead Facts and Tap Water Quality
February 2005 – Utility Customer Protection Act
January 2005 – Your computer can make its own long distance calls by modem hijacking!
December 2004 – How to Make A Donation to a Hardship Fund
November 2004 – LIHEAP Cash & Crisis Programs
October 2004 – Do you know someone without a telephone? Is phone service more than they can afford?
September 2004 – What to Think About When Comparing Your Landline Phone to a Wireless Phone
August 2004 – Use Water Wisely
July 2004 – Heat Waves.
June 2004 – If You Have a Power Outage.
May 2004 – Get Prepared Now for Summer Storms.
April 2004 – Paying too much for your local telephone service? Check out your local calling plan.
March 2004 – Save on Water and Water Heating Costs at the Same Time
February 2004 – Simple Winter Heating Maintenance
January 2004 – Fireplaces and Home Energy Use
December 2003 – Replace Some Light Bulbs, Save Energy
November 2003 – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
October 2003 – Prepare Now for Winter Heating Bills
September 2003 – New long-distance telephone charges
August 2003 – Lower Summer Electric Use
July 2003 – Unnecessary Rental Fees
June 2003 – Dial-Up Internet Access
May 2003 – Voicemail Scam
April 2003 – Service Shut-Offs
March 2003 – Hardship Funds
February 2003 – Check for air leaks
January 2003 – Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call list
December 2002 – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIGH NATURAL GAS BILLS

Q. Why do we expect gas prices to be higher this winter?
A. Wholesale prices are higher this year than last year. More gas is being used year-round than in the past. For example, most new electric generating plants are fueled with natural gas rather than coal or oil. The price of natural gas has also recently increased due to supply disruptions from Hurricane Katrina. These factors have a direct effect on natural gas prices.

Q. I’m concerned that I will not be able to pay high winter gas bills. What can I do?
A. If you have not already done so, call your local gas company and get on budget billing now. Rather than paying very high bills in winter and low ones in summer, budget billing evens them out so you pay a similar amount for all 12 months per year.
Try to lower your natural gas usage. There are a number of steps you can take. Every little bit helps.
– Search for drafts in your home and seal them. Install weather-stripping and caulking around windows and doors to decrease drafts there. Even if you installed weather-stripping and caulking a couple years ago, you may need to reattach it or replace it. Make sure it is positioned properly to eliminate drafts. Use draft stopping gaskets specially made to fit behind switch plates and electric sockets.
– Check your gas appliances to make sure they are operating properly. Change your furnace filter regularly and have your furnace serviced if you can. Keep your water heater set for a comfortable temperature. If your water is so hot that you mix it with cold water to use it, you are wasting money heating it to that temperature.
– If you can be comfortable in your home with a lower temperature, turn your thermostat down a couple degrees.
– The Office of Consumer Advocate can send you a free copy of an Energy Savings Guide, or you can find it online at the Department of Energy’s website at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/energy_savers/.  Call us at 800-684-6560 or check the OCA website at www.oca.state.pa.us for a more complete list of conservation links.
Look for ways to lower other bills you have to pay. For instance, you can save on your electric bill by turning off lights and only using your dishwasher and washing machine when you have full loads. Look at your telephone and cable television bill and see if you are really using all the services you are paying for. If you can save money on these bills, you may have that much extra to put towards your gas bill this winter.

Q. What if I cannot afford to pay my gas bill?
A. Contact your local gas company. Ask them to help you set up a payment arrangement based on your ability to pay. If you are within certain income limits, there are several other programs that may help you. Ask your gas company about its Customer Assistance Program, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and weatherization programs. Companies also offer usage reduction programs to help low-income customers lower their bills.

Q. Did retail competition in Pennsylvania cause natural gas prices to rise?
A. No. The wholesale price of natural gas was deregulated by the federal government about twenty years ago. As a result, many large industrial and commercial consumers have had access to competitive markets for a number of years and, if anything, this has lowered their prices. Low supply and high demand are the main reasons for wholesale price increases.

Q. Do federal, state or local government agencies control the wholesale price of natural gas?
A. No federal, state or local government agency controls the wholesale price your gas company pays for the gas you use. The wholesale price of natural gas was deregulated by the federal government in the 1980’s. The price of gas is now set by gas producers selling in the market. Local gas companies buy natural gas from suppliers throughout North America and transport it through interstate pipelines to your local gas utility. The local gas company distributes the gas to customers. Gas companies are allowed by PA law to pass the price of gas on to their customers.

Q. Does the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC) or the PA Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) have any regulatory authority over the price my utility charges for its gas that it brings to my home or business?
A. Yes. Both agencies conduct an annual review of all gas utilities’ purchasing practices to ensure that the price paid for gas is reasonable. Under the law, the local gas utility must provide reliable gas service at the least possible cost. The Public Utility Commission also regulates the rate your gas company charges for the delivery of gas to your home or business. Generally, your gas company collects these costs through the distribution charges on your bill. These charges cover the cost of metering, meter reading, billing, and the cost of distributing the gas to your home or business.

Go to Educational Sources, Tips and Links to Other Agencies

Go to West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund