The monthly natural gas price for residential customers who are on the Standard Choice Offer is going up a few cents, but is still lower than normal.
Effective Jan. 14, Dominion East Ohio’s SCO rate will be $2.39 per thousand cubic feet (mcf).
That’s 7.2 percent or 16 cents/mcf higher than the December rate of $2.23/mcf.
Still, the January rate is 33.9 percent or $1.23/mcf lower than the price of $3.62/mcf a year ago. Development of shale energy resources in Ohio and other states, have led to lower national market prices for natural gas, Dominion said.
Under the company’s filing, the average SCO residential customer’s bill for the month of January would be $75.43, down $27.26, or 26.5 percent, from $102.69.
All Dominion East Ohio residential customers also pay for delivery charges and a total monthly charge of $24.83.
For Betty Lin-Fisher’s previous columns on natural-gas choices, go towww.ohio.com/betty.