Hartselle gas customers get break on winter rates

Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle Utilities customers will benefit from lower natural gas rates while paying slightly more for electricity this winter.

“We’re locked in at $3.50 per decatherm, covering about 90 percent of our normal winter demand  (October thru March),” said HU general manager Bob Sittason. ‘This means the customer’s gas bill will be $12.08 percent lower than it was last winter providing the same amount of gas is used.

On the other hand, a 1.5 per cent TVA electric rate increase will be passed through to residential customers, beginning Oct. 1.

The adjusted rate will add $2.45 per month to the customer’s electric bill based on an average  monthly demand of 1,235 kilowatts.

Sittason said the drop in natural gas prices was tied to an abundant supply nationwide.

“Two winters ago, the market was volatile and gas prices climbed to a high of $13 per decatherm,” he pointed out.

Sittason said he feels good about the reliability of the electric department heading into another winter.

“Removing overhanging vines and tree limbs from power lines is something we do on a continuing basis, he started. “Our biggest problem is squirrels as far as outages are concerned.