NATURAL GAS
18. Default and Active Competitive Gas Suppliers (CGS) Serving the District in CY 2017
Telephone No.
Default and 14 licensed competitive gas suppliers (CGS) serving the District as of December 31, 2017. 10 CGS and WGL provided non-residential service and 14 CGS and WGL provided residential service as of December 31, 2017.
19. U.S. DOT Ratings for the DCPSC’s Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Program in CY 2013 – CY 2017
The PSC’s Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Program is evaluated annually by U.S. DOT/PHMSA* in the areas of gas pipeline construction, operation, maintenance, records, drug and alcohol inspections, damage prevention and operator qualifications. The PSC’s goal is to achieve a rating equal to or better than the DOT target set each year. In 2016 the PSC's Pipeline Safety Program achieved an audit rating of 100% from PHMSA exceeding the target of 98%. In 2017 the PSC Pipeline Safety Program again achieved a PHMSA audit rating of 100% maintaining a perfect score for two consecutive years. Audits results lag by one year as an example, the 2017 audit has yet to occur.
*DOT/PHMA - U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Source: DCPSC
20. Active Residential and Non-Residential Competitive Gas (CGS) Suppliers Licensed to Service in D.C. in CY 2013 – CY 2017
In 2017 ,the number of Active Residential Competitive Gas Suppliers (CGS) participating in the residential natural gas Customer Choice Program in DC remained unchanged from the previous year, while the number of commercial participants increased by one from the previous year. The total number of CGS participating in the natural gas Customer Choice Program in DC was 14 in 2017.
Source: WGL's Monthly Market Monitoring Report
21. Number of Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Field Inspection Activities Performed in CY 2013 – CY 2017
The number of natural gas pipeline safety field inspection activities increased from 117 in CY 2014 to 192 in CY 2015 and continued to increase to 386 in CY 2016. There was a slight decrease in the number of inspections in 2017 due to the retirement of one Pipeline Safety Engineer. However, DCPSC still achieved the Inspection requirements assigned by PHMSA.
Source: DCPSC
22. Competitive Gas Suppliers' (CGS) Share of Customers and Share of Usage in CY 2013 – CY 2017
In 2017, Competitive Gas Suppliers' (CGS) share remained unchanged for residential customers, but declined for non-residential customers, compared to the previous year. The CGS share for non-residential customers dropped from 37% in 2016 to 35% in 2017.
In 2017, the share of residential usage was down, while the share of non-residential usage was up from the previous year.
Data is as of the month of December of each year.
Source: WGL's Monthly Market Monitoring Report
23. WGL's Average Residential Natural Gas Bills in DC, MD and VA (200 therms of usage)* in CY 2013 – CY 2017
The WGL bill for the month of January of each year includes the purchased gas charge, transmission, distribution and all applicable taxes, fees and surcharges. The bill in D.C. is higher than in Maryland and Virginia because of taxes and rights-of-way fees.
Note: 200 therms of usage applies to all three jurisdictions served by WGL (DC, MD and VA).
*As of January of each year
Source: WGL and DCPSC
24. Enrollment in WGL's Low Income Residential Essential Service (RES) Program* in CY 2013 – CY 2017
In Order No. 18565 (released October 11, 2016), the PSC adopted a new methodology for computing the credit associated with the Residential Essential Services (RES) Program for eligible low-income natural gas customers in the District of Columbia. The DSC directed WGL to file a revised tariff for the RES Rider that will include a RES credit equal to 55% of the distribution portion of the customer’s bill, with a provision to automatically increase the credit to 70% on a short term basis as outlined in the Order. Additionally, WGL was directed to place a line item on RES customers’ bills that tells them the amount of their RES credit and the total avoided costs of all surcharges from which they are exempt. The number of low-income customers receiving the credit has fluctuated over the years.
Data is for the month of April of each year.
*The enrollment numbers for the chart are provided by WGL.
Source: WGL Arrearage and Disconnection Reporting (data is for the month of April of each year)
25. WGL's Rights-of-Way Fees in CY 2013 – CY 2017 ($ Per Therm)
WGL’s Rights-of-Way (ROW) fee has two parts, a Current Factor and a Reconciliation Factor. The Reconciliation Factor recovers any over or under collection resulting from the application of the Current Factor to customers’ bills in the previous year. WGL’s fee appears as a separate line item on customers’ bills. WGL files revised Current and Reconciliation Factors annually in GT 00-2. The PSC audits the fees to verify the costs. The graph shows a downward trend in the current factor and a decrease in the reconciliation factor between December 2016 and December 2017. WGL files its Rights-of-Way fees in compliance with the Company’s tariff, PSC of D.C. No. 3, Third Revised Page No. 56.
Source: DCPSC
26. WGL's Net Purchased Gas Charge (PGC) in CY 2013 – CY 2017 (Cents Per Therm)
WGL’s commodity gas cost is called the Purchased Gas Charge (PGC) and it appears as a separate line on the bills of customers who have not chosen another commodity gas supplier.
The Company files a report in a PGC docket each time the PGC changes. The DCPSC audits WGL’s PGC bi-annually to verify the costs.
The average net PGC began to increase from 37.36 cents per therm in CY 2015 to 43.34 cents per therm in CY 2017. Data is End of Year (December) Net PGC.
Source: DCPSC