The Fayette Citizen-Business Page
Wednesday, August 12, 1998
Customers can look for big changes in winter's heating bills

When Fayette residents received their gas bill this past month, they might have received a big shock.

As part of last year's deregulation of Atlanta Gas Light, the company is preparing for competition starting Nov.1. The first changes customers may have noticed is that the base charges in gas bills are now annualized.

By annualizing the bill, the company levels the bill for the consumer and the customer pays roughly the same amount each month. By doing this customers are receiving higher summer bills and creating confusion for consumers.

After Nov.1, Atlanta Gas will not be selling gas directly to consumers, but will deliver gas for marketing companies that offer competitive rates to homes and businesses. Because of the increased competition, the gas company has to separate the cost of the gas from the cost of the delivery.

Along with the changing of the billing, the Public Service Commission is still trying to determine how to assess certain transitional costs consumers must pay to convert from a Atlanta Gas's monopoly run system to a free market system.

Despite more than 30 companies lining up to offer service at competitive rates, PSC officials expect average customers to see an increase of 3-7 percent on their total bill. Though the increase may be significant to many consumers, PSC officials noted that the utility has not raised rates since 1993.

The utility is also implementing a new late charge effective with late July bills. Through July bill inserts, the utility notified customers last month that a penalty of 1 percent or $10, whichever is greater, would be applied to late bills. At the urging of the PSC, Atlanta Gas has agreed to reduce the late charge to 1 percent or $5 and will only apply it to delinquent balances of $15 or more.

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