Got my business first gas bill, tiered pricing. the more you use, the more you pay!! Vanity

self

[cableguymn]

I got my first natural gas bill from center point energy today. My last location had a different gas provider that did not care how much gas you used as long as you paid for it.

Well Center point has gone green and they have found a way to FORCE me to go green, or at least pay 4 times the amount for the gas to heat my business. The rate per "therm" is based on useage. 0-30 therm, 30-50 therm, 50-100 therm, 100-500 and 500+

Heres the kicker, at the low 101+ therm the rate is 4 times the amount of the 0-30 therm rate, the 500+ rate is 6 times as much!

This made the bill for my 1200 sqft shop 145 dollars for the month. My home, at 1400 sqft on a different providers lines was 38 dollars. Oddy, both locations used roughly the same therm units.

I called and asked them if they liked making money off their product. Of course they did. I asked if using more gas to keep my business at a temperature capable of maintaining the comfort of not only my customers but my live stock should cost me 4 times as much even though the cost to transport and produce the "therm" has not changed.

Their reply "sir, use less gas" My reply, no problem! Propane can be delivered and I can switch to electric heat as that bill goes DOWN as my use goes up. Plus it's provided by a clean nuclear power plant. The service rep's head must of exploded at that point.

When questioned about the delivery fee tacked on (does natural gas come on a truck?) and the affordable energy fee (affordable for WHO?) she was clueless as well.

[martin_fierro]

Maybe he was counting on using coupons. You don't know.

[cableguymn]

I was forced to move due to a zoning voilation the previous land lord would not correct (it was a structure problem) and lack of space.

I did ask the monthly cost for gas, this new rate structure is just that. New. The landlord didn’t know about it.

Regardless, I would have moved to the location anyways. My point is WTF is a gas company doing charing 3-4 times more for gas to stop people form buying their product?

I also noticed now that I am home and looking at my home bill, while it is also tiered every rate bracket is 40-50% lower than my business bill. The rate depends on what you are.