ESCO gas price protection plans

[Walter Cohen]

I live in NY and use Econnergy as my gas Esco. They recently sent me a flier offering me two 'plans' to better control my gas costs for the coming winter season.

They have a rate insurance plan which fluctuates with the market but they guarantee that you would pay no mre than 99 cents per therm and no less than 73 cents per therm for the period of 11/1/04 thru

3/31/05. They charge an additional 3.8 cents per therm premium for this plan.

They also have a fixed rate plan which you will pay a fixed rate of 88 cents per therm for the period of 11/1/04 thru 3/31/05.

What are people's thoughts on these plans and therm costs for NY? Is there a web site that details historical costs per therm during previous years (for all I know it could even be on Econnergy's site).

*Is there a more appropriate newsgroup to ask this question?

Thanks, Walter

[SQLit]

Since they are offering 3 plans I would be nervous. Your going to have to look at your last years usage by month and make some guesses about this year. The fixed rate might be good depending on what your paying now.

Better start with the Farmers Almanac site for guesses about the weather. Call some government offices in your area about supplies and costs of the gas.

Here depending on the electric utility you have your choice of 2 plans, not

1. Checking the SW Gas web page they charge 0.75 for the first 15 therms and then 0.85 for the next 30 therms. ( using the example on the page) Then there is a rate adjustment of 0.730 per therm and a monthly gas cost of 0.20 per therm.

Hope this helps