Xcel likely to seek natural gas rate increase in 2010

Xcel Energy officials said today they will likely ask Minnesota regulators for a "modest" natural gas rate increase next year.

[concerned citizen]

xcel will just have to suck it up like the rest of us. they're profits dipped oh boo hoo. Try thinking about the people you serve for a change instead of yourself.

[JJ in MN]

just dont seem to making enough money already eh??? more, more, more. sure price does not get adjusted down when the need is not there ... pricing seems to stay the same.

"Xcel needs the increase to pay for increased spending on its infrastructure, such as replacing gas mains and relocating municipal lines"

i ask ... when the costs are covered are they going to adjust? who keeps an eye on this and who enforces once these charges are paid? my guess is they keep the rate ... oh well ...

[It was a simple fix]

UM NO. Excel should have been smart enough to include that in the cost of normal operations.

[Got Gas]

Natural gas prices are at an all time low. NSP aka Excel knows that and they now don't want to give us the break we deserve. I will bet that when gas prices rise, NSP will raise prices. PS. Their legal name is NSP not Excel.

[SSP]

F-them, If I had an alternative, I'd dump these crooks in a second.
Every year they claim to have purchased the natural gas when it's high thus passing the high price on. Natural gas had been down around 3.00 just a few weeks ago, make no mistake, they will never admit to purchasing gas then. NG hit above 14.00 after Katrina, we had that price passed on to us right away and even with gas prices sinking to 3.00, the price we pay will not show that.

[Dave in Cottage Grove]

Think about this - cause this one has always bugged me... Here, use these more efficent flourescent light bulbs, use this automatic setback thermostat, buy an A/C with a more efficient SEER rating, buy these new more efficient windows with the triple paned windows... and then the hand comes out with the pouty lower lip... The summer wasn't hot enough - we didn't make enough revenue - we need a rate hike. Give me a break!

[Leap Frog]

How come we Never hear the Leftist Cry about XCEL?
They just Gave St Paul Mayor Chris Coleman 1.8 Million in rebates. XCEL is a huge donor to the DFL Party! Thats why!

[bill s in menomonie]

pretty sad I think. The excuses of high energy costs were from supply and demand,, so we all cut back less driving less electrical use. Now that we all cut back the oil companies and gas companies are not making the huge profits they once were ,so they come up with whatever excuses they can to raise rates.
I'm tired of it and so is the general public, our state electives need to grow a pair and put these energy money hungry companies in check. Obama needs to get off his arse and put the speculators in check.
So basically Xcel Energy you should have done your upgrades when demand was higher. Dip into to your own profits and pay for it yourself. We pay too much now as it is

[Wheelchair Charley]

Very simple folks the less you use the more you pay.

[More to the story]

It ain't all Xcel's fault. Take a look at all the charges on your bill and look at how much government tacks on for itself. Plus government policies that limit our energy choices, no new nuclear plants, shut down coal plants, etc...

And no, I don't work for Xcel.

[Wheelchair Charley]

More to the story wrote:

It ain't all Xcel's fault. Take a look at all the charges on your bill and look at how much government tacks on for itself. Plus government policies that limit our energy choices, no new nuclear plants, shut down coal plants, etc...
And no, I don't work for Xcel.

I should have added wait til you get the bill after cap & trade bill is passed. Then you'll really have something to cry about.

[really]

let me see natural gas prices are 1/3 of what they were in 2008 yet they think we need to increase prices? time to break up this monopoly

[oyoboy]

More to the story wrote:

It ain't all Xcel's fault. Take a look at all the charges on your bill and look at how much government tacks on for itself. Plus government policies that limit our energy choices, no new nuclear plants, shut down coal plants, etc...
And no, I don't work for Xcel.

Excellent post!

Instead of raising the rates why not forgive them that ridiculous anti American ant-business "franchise fee/tax" to start! oh wait they already pass that fee on to us. >.<

I guess they need some way to stick it to us now that gas prices are much lower. Greedy bleepers!

/sigh. good luck everyone :(

[J and another Letter]

Folks, the price of natural gas is passed thru penny for penny. That is the way fuel costs work. It makes up most of your bill, the rest is for the delivery. The rate increase is on the delivery and infrastructure. If they upgrade and maintain the gas lines, we pay to have that service available and reliable. Oh, Those fees that are tacked on - blame your local officials that make the utility put it on the bill. But why bother with logic and facts on a forum, it so much easier to blame business.

[Dave in Cottage Grove]

OK J and another Letter, you may be correct about the increase being due to the increases on the delivery and infrastructure costs to maintain the gas lines. You can win that one... However, there is another article here headlined: "Xcel 3Q cooled by chilly summer"

http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_1366828...

The first line in the article: Xcel Energy, Minnesota's largest utility, saw third-quarter profit dip slightly while revenue dropped 19 percent from a year ago primarily on lower sales of electricity because of cooler summer weather.

If we all reduce our usage with more efficient devices, won't there be a continued drop in the sale of electricity? We were constantly told because the usage was going up - supply and demand required it to be more expensive in order to guarantee the supply. Now that we used less - is it RIGHT to increase the per unit charge because their sales are down?

Let's say I used to eat 2 -$1.00 hamburgers each and every day cause it was available, I wanted it and it made me happy. Cost me $2.00 a day. Then my doctor said "you are expanding beyond your usual waistline, and you might want to think about having 1 hamburger a day - and maybe take up a bit of walking." Well, I didn't like it, but I did it anyway - and I realized I could get by with 1 a day, and also walking my 15 minutes a day gave me MORE energy. I cut my food expense in half, and my waist size return to a more modest size. But now.. now since I only have 1 a day, the restaurant wants to increase the cost of my burger - because I am not eating as many as I was before... Yes - this is a fantasy story, but, I think as consumers, we are often being taken advantage of. More use, more supply required, equaled a rate increase - Less use, less revenue, equals a rate increase?

[Got Gas]

Dave in Cottage Grove wrote:

Think about this - cause this one has always bugged me... Here, use these more efficent flourescent light bulbs, use this automatic setback thermostat, buy an A/C with a more efficient SEER rating, buy these new more efficient windows with the triple paned windows... and then the hand comes out with the pouty lower lip... The summer wasn't hot enough - we didn't make enough revenue - we need a rate hike. Give me a break!

Dave, Do a quick study of Cap and Trade and see what the big mistake has in store for all of us. Hide your wallet!

[Got Gas]

Dave in Cottage Grove wrote:

OK J and another Letter, you may be correct about the increase being due to the increases on the delivery and infrastructure costs to maintain the gas lines. You can win that one... However, there is another article here headlined: "Xcel 3Q cooled by chilly summer"
http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_1366828...
The first line in the article: Xcel Energy, Minnesota's largest utility, saw third-quarter profit dip slightly while revenue dropped 19 percent from a year ago primarily on lower sales of electricity because of cooler summer weather.
If we all reduce our usage with more efficient devices, won't there be a continued drop in the sale of electricity? We were constantly told because the usage was going up - supply and demand required it to be more expensive in order to guarantee the supply. Now that we used less - is it RIGHT to increase the per unit charge because their sales are down?
Let's say I used to eat 2 -$1.00 hamburgers each and every day cause it was available, I wanted it and it made me happy. Cost me $2.00 a day. Then my doctor said "you are expanding beyond your usual waistline, and you might want to think about having 1 hamburger a day - and maybe take up a bit of walking." Well, I didn't like it, but I did it anyway - and I realized I could get by with 1 a day, and also walking my 15 minutes a day gave me MORE energy. I cut my food expense in half, and my waist size return to a more modest size. But now.. now since I only have 1 a day, the restaurant wants to increase the cost of my burger - because I am not eating as many as I was before... Yes - this is a fantasy story, but, I think as consumers, we are often being taken advantage of. More use, more supply required, equaled a rate increase - Less use, less revenue, equals a rate increase?

Yes you are so right. However, NSP has no incentive to "tighten their belt" and run a business correctly as they simply have the ability to whine and cry to the PUC which is run by a bunch of less than "D" students.

[Bob]

Dave in Cottage Grove wrote:

Think about this - cause this one has always bugged me... Here, use these more efficent flourescent light bulbs, use this automatic setback thermostat, buy an A/C with a more efficient SEER rating, buy these new more efficient windows with the triple paned windows... and then the hand comes out with the pouty lower lip... The summer wasn't hot enough - we didn't make enough revenue - we need a rate hike. Give me a break!

I agree. They bitch and moan that we have to get efficient this and efficient that and then when we don't use as much of there product they turn around and say well now we have to raise prices. It's laughable. It doesn't end there just wait for all these "green" idiots and there plans they are working on.

[bill s in menomonie]

unfortunately although we all agree on this topic if our state electives agree to let xcel raise their prices we have no choice but to pay, sad but true. also goes along with the gas companies $3 a gallon or $6 a gallon we all need it they know it so we have no choice but to pay it.
pretty f'n sad

[david04]

Who ever is judging clueness votes obviously works for xSTEAL or is just a complete "MORON"!!!!(SAME THING ACTUALLY):)