MIDAMERICAN ENERGY IS TAKING STEPS TO INSULATE CUSTOMERS FROM SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER GAS BILLS THAT ARE COMING BECAUSE THE FEBRUARY COLD SNAP.
COMPANY PROJECTIONS SHOW RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS IN IOWA WILL SEE THEIR MARCH BILLS $13 HIGHER THAN IN FEBRUARY.
FROM FEBRUARY 5TH-18TH, MIDAMERICAN RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS USED 50% MORE NATURAL GAS THAN NORMAL FOR THAT TWO-WEEK PERIOD.
FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS IN IOWA, THE AVERAGE MARCH BILL WILL LIKELY BE $95 HIGHER THAN IN FEBRUARY.
DESPITE THAT, MIDAMERICAN’S UNDERGROUND GAS STORAGE, LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS STORAGE AND ADVANCE PURCHASE CONTRACTS THAT LOCKED IN PRICES HELPED MITIGATE MARKET PRICE IMPACTS AND SAVED CUSTOMERS $400 MILLION.
WEDNESDAY MIDAMERICAN ASKED THE IOWA UTILITIES BOARD TO SUSPEND A BILLING RULE REQUIRING THE COMPANY TO COLLECT ALL FEBRUARY HEATING COSTS BY AUGUST.
THE REQUEST WOULD HELP PROTECT CUSTOMERS WHO FACE HIGHER NATURAL GAS BILLS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
IN SOUTH DAKOTA THIS WEEK, MIDAMERICAN ASKED THE SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO SPREAD OUT THE COLLECTION OF FEBRUARY COSTS THROUGH DECEMBER.
CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO ADVISED TO SIGN UP FOR THE COMPANY’S “TOTAL 12 BILLING” THAT WILL SPREAD YOUR BILL OUT EQUALLY OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD.