HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-10-093 - Natural Gas RatesREPORT
Report To:
Finance & Corporate Services Committee
Date of Meeting:
June 7, 2010
Submitted By:
Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services
& City Treasurer
Prepared By: Loraine Baillargeon, 2532
Ward(s) Involved: All
Date of Report:
May 26, 2010
Report No.:
FIN-10-093
Subject:
NATURAL GAS RATES
RECOMMENDATION:
That the supply component of the natural gas rates be decreased to 25.0 cents per cubic
meter from 31.6 cents per cubic meter for system gas customers of the City of Kitchener
effective July 1, 2010; and,
That the transportation component of the natural gas rates be increased to 6.182 cents
per cubic meter from 4.491 cents per cubic meter for system gas customers of the City of
Kitchener effective July 1, 2010 to reflect the final rates charged by TransCanada
Pipelines as previously approved by the National Energy Board; and further,
That the delivery components of the natural gas rates be changed as proposed in FIN-10-
093 - Appendix A for all Kitchener delivery customers effective July 1, 2010
;
BACKGROUND:
Kitchener Utilities began a gas supply program in April 1998 to arrange supply for Utilities’
customers who did not choose to buy from a gas marketer. The program was initiated with the
goals of mitigating the impact of the natural gas price volatility and eliminating retroactive billing
that had become common place with our past provider.
Our system gas program uses a disciplined economic approach to secure natural gas contracts
in a portfolio to strive for a low risk, reasonable cost alternative to the current retail offerings.
The supply program is a cost-based service and does not cross-subsidize with other Utilities
profits.
Since the beginning of the supply program, we have been able to meet our customers’ need for
stable, more predictable prices. We continue to mitigate the risk of price volatility through active
management of the portfolio.
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REPORT:
Since April 2008, prices for natural gas increased to a high of $12 per GJ (45 cents per m3) and
in July 2008 began to decline. Prices are at the lowest in about 8 years. We have gradually
layered in lower priced gas as buying opportunities arose. We are now in a position to decrease
our supply rate from 31.6¢/m3 to 25.0¢/m3 to meet the projected gas costs for this year and to
ensure that our program is not in a significant surplus or deficit position overall.
In order to uphold the historical practice of establishing the transportation component of our
natural gas rates by using the NEB approved rate for TransCanada Pipelines tolls, the
Transportation component of our Natural Gas Rates will increase from 4.491¢/m3 to 6.182¢/m3
effective July 1, 2010. TransCanada Pipelines applied to the National Energy Board (“NEB”)
and received approval for final rates to be effective January 1, 2010.
The City’s past practice has been to match the base Delivery rates approved by the OEB for
use by Union Gas in the Southern delivery area. The Ontario Energy Board (“OEB”) approved
the final rates application as submitted and approved for the Union South delivery area for
implementation January 1, 2010. There will be various albeit negligible rate changes to the
City’s wholesale rate. These rates were last changed in January 2009.
For most of the contract customers (large volume), there is a variable rate increase. The
ultimate impact will be based on a customer’s consumption.
As mentioned in report FIN-08-029, the OEB approved a split in the rates for general service
customers (between smaller, mostly residential customers and larger commercial/industrial
customers) for implementation in the Union South area effective January 1, 2008. Our billing
system is now able to accommodate such a split. This will introduce a new “Rate Category” for
our customers.
Specifically, customers that consume more than 50,000 m3 annually will be charged under the
Rate Category M2 - General Service. There will continue to be variable rates on a declining
block basis. For example, the first 1,000 m3 billed per month will be charged at the rate of
4.3754 cents per m3, the next 6,000 m3 billed will be charged at the rate of 4.3012 cents per
m3, etc. The fixed charge for this Rate Category has been set at $2.30 per day (equivalent to
the OEB approved rate of $70/month charge for Union system).
Appendix B shows samples of customer billings at the current rates and the new rates for
comparative purposes. Customers that consume less than 50,000 m3/year will be billed under
the Rate Category M1 – General Service. For customers in this Rate Category there will be
similar declining block rates. This is different than the current rates where these customers
were billed only at the first tier (up to 1400 m3). Customers will see volumes consumed billed at
all three levels (mainly in the winter season). The Daily Fixed Charge for this Rate Category will
also increase from $.56/day to $.62/day to mirror the change approved by the OEB for Union
Gas.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The combined impacts of the supply, transportation and delivery rates are expected to produce
a decrease of 10% or approximately $104 per year for the average residential customer. In
estimations for Rate Category M1 customers, we use a 2100 m3 annual consumption as an
average residential customer consumption.
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Rate M2 customers are estimated to see an overall decrease of at least 9%.
The impact on large volume and contract customers will depend upon their consumption and
contract demand parameters.
The reclassification of customers to M1 and M2 Rate Categories is expected to have a neutral
affect on overall delivery revenues to the City. The redesigned rates will better match fixed
revenues to recover fixed costs to provide delivery service to general service customers based
on their annual consumption of gas. The redesign reduces the potential for a subgroup of
customers within the rate class to subsidize the cost to serve other customers within the class.
The improved matching of fixed revenues with fixed costs also reduces the gas utility’s risk of
reduced gross margins from mild winter weather.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The Utilities Division will work with the Communications Division to ensure that media are
provided with a media release to inform our customers and an insert is being prepared to be
distributed with utility bills in July. As well, customers in the new M2 Rate Category have
already been informed of the pending classification change by letter and brochure.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services & City
Treasurer
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FIN-10-093 - APPENDIX A
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
GENERAL SERVICE RATE M1
Applicability
To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customers that consume less than 50,000 m3/year.
Rate
Daily Fixed Charge $ .62
and
VARIABLE COMMODITY &TRANSPORTATION NET RATE
DELIVERYFUEL
RATE
3333
¢/m ¢/m ¢/m ¢/m
3
First 100 m 5.273 25.0 6.182 36.455
3
Next 150 m 5.0436 25.06.18236.2256
3
All Over 250 m 4.5008 25.06.18235.6828
Supplemental Service to Commercial and Industrial Customers Under Group Meters
Combination of readings from several meters may be authorized where meters are located on contiguous pieces of property of
the same owner not delivered by a public right-of-way. In such cases, an additional service charge shall be rendered each
month in the amount of $17.50 per month for each additional meter so combined. This service is to assist in the administration
billing
of the for multiple meters on the same property. It does not contemplate amalgamating the consumption readings for
the purpose of qualifying for lower delivery rates..
Meter Readings
Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in
circumstances beyond the control of the Company, such as strikes or non-access to a meter. The Company may estimate the
monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer.
Effective
July 1, 2010
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
1)Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer, unless resold as
“motor vehicle fuel gas”, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82.
2)Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the
monthly fixed charge for the months in which the gas is temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and
reconnection.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
GENERAL SERVICE RATE – M2
Applicability
To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customers that consume 50,000 m3 and more per year .
Rate
Daily Fixed Charge $2.30
and
VARIABLE COMMODITY &TRANSPORTATION NET RATE
DELIVERYFUEL
RATE
3333
¢/m ¢/m ¢/m ¢/m
3
First 1,000 m 4.3754 25.0 6.182 35.5574
3
Next 6,000 m 4.3012 25.06.18235.4832
3
Next 13,000 m 4.0801 25.06.18235.2621
3
All over 20,000 m 3.8148 25.06.18234.9968
Supplemental Service to Commercial and Industrial Customers Under Group Meters
Combination of readings from several meters may be authorized where meters are located on contiguous pieces of property of
the same owner not delivered by a public right-of-way. In such cases, an additional service charge shall be rendered each
month in the amount of $17.50 per month for each additional meter so combined. This service is to assist in the administration
billing
of the for multiple meters on the same property. It does not contemplate amalgamating the consumption readings for
the purpose of qualifying for lower delivery rates..
Meter Readings
Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in
circumstances beyond the control of the Company, such as strikes or non-access to a meter. The Company may estimate the
monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer.
Effective
July 1, 2010
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
2)Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer, unless resold as
“motor vehicle fuel gas”, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82.
3)Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the
monthly fixed charge for the months in which the gas is temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and
reconnection.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
FIRM INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE – M4
Applicability
To a customer who enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year, that specifies a daily contracted demand as follows:
33
Between 4,800 m and 140,870 m.
Rate
1. Bills will be rendered monthly and shall be the total of:
3
¢/m
i)A Monthly Demand Charge
3
First 8,450 m of the daily contracted demand,45.7485
3
Next 19,700 m of the daily contracted demand,19.8487
33
All m over 28,150m of the daily contracted demand,16.4833
ii) A Monthly Delivery Charge
First 422, 250 m3 delivered per month .8915
Next volume equal to 15 days use of daily contracted demand .8915
For remainder of volumes delivered in the month .4280
iii)A Monthly Gas Supply Rate
Utility Sales
Commodity & Fuel 25.0
Transportation 6.182
31.182
2. Over-run Charge
Authorized overrun gas is available provided that it is authorized by the Corporation in advance. The Corporation will not
unreasonably withhold authorization. Overrun means gas taken on any day in excess of 103% of contracted daily demand.
3
Authorized overrun will be available April 1 through October 31, and will be paid for at the rate of 2.3955/m for the delivery
3
and, if applicable, a gas supply rate of 31.182¢/m.
3
Unauthorized overrun in any month shall be paid for at the rate of 5.273¢/m for the delivery and total gas supply charge for
3
system supplied volumes at the rate of 31.182¢/m.
3. Minimum Annual Charge
In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to
150 days use of contracted demand. Overrun gas volumes will not contribute to the minimum volume. In the event that the
customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay an amount equal to the deficiency from the minimum
33
volume times a rate of 5.2344¢/m, and if applicable, a gas supply charge of 31.182¢/m.
In the event that the contract period exceeds one year, the annual minimum volume will be pro-rated for any part year.
Effective
July 1, 2010
Policy Relating to Terms of Service
Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer.
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CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER
NATURAL GAS
INTERRUPTIBLE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE – M5
Applicability
To a Customer who:
3
A) enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year that specifies a daily contracted demand between 4,800 m and 140,870
3
m inclusive.
and,
B) has an alternate fuel supply and combustion system available.
Rate
1. The price of all gas delivered shall be determined on the basis of the following schedules:
Monthly Fixed Charge $504.24
and
3
¢/m
A) Delivery Charge
Daily Contracted Demand Level (CD)
33
4,800 m < CD 17,000 m1.8394
33
17,000 m < CD 30,000 m1.7095
33
30,000 m < CD 50,000 m1.6412
33
50,000 m < CD 70,000 m1.5933
33
70,000 m < CD 100,000 m1.5590
33
100,000 m < CD 140,870 m1.5253
B) Gas Supply Rate
Utility Sales
Commodity & Fuel 25.0
Transportation 6.182
31.182
2. Over-run Charge
Over-run gas must be authorized by the Corporation in advance. The Corporation will not unreasonably withhold
33
authorization. Unauthorized overrun gas take in any month shall be paid for at the rate of 36.455¢/m (5.273 ¢/m for the
3
delivery and 31.182¢/m for all gas supply volumes purchased).
3. Minimum Annual Charge
In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to
3
150 days use of contracted demand which will not be less than 700,000 m per annum. Overrun volumes will not contribute
to the minimum volume. In the event that the customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay an
3
amount equal to the deficiency from the minimum volume times 5.2344¢/m for the delivery charge and if applicable, a gas
3
supply charge of 31.182¢/m).
Effective
July 1, 2010
Policy Relating to Terms of Reference
Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer.
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