Friday, March 30, 2007

I Hate Atmos Energy

What we paid on our gas bill DOUBLED last year. But that's not enough for Atmos Energy. Instead of the recommended rate cut, looks like bills will actually be GOING UP AGAIN! Except for industrial users, who get a hefty cut. Welcome to Dick Cheney's America. Hey, those $800 and $900 hotel rooms, limousine rides, cases of expensive wine and meals at high-dollar restaurants don't pay for themselves!

More than $20 million in recommended savings for customers of Atmos Energy turned into a residential rate increase of $10 million because of action taken Thursday by the Texas Railroad Commission.

As a result, home-heating bills will go up by about 70 cents beginning in April, according to estimates.

The elected railroad commission also shifted much of the burden for paying gas bills onto residential customers and off the shoulders of big industrial users. That means that although home customers will pay more, industrial customers should see steep rate cuts.

The commission's decision Thursday marks the end of a long-running rate case. It also marks a departure from recommendations by the railroad commissioners' own hearing examiners, who reviewed the company's books and then recommended a $23 million rate cut.

A coalition of cities had called for rate cuts of $30 million. The company sought to increase them by about $60 million annually, or $4 on a typical monthly bill. ...

Discounting the fluctuating cost of natural gas, the changes mean that typical monthly residential bills will go up by about 4 percent from the same time last year, while industrial customers will see savings of 22 percent.

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