DETROIT, Mich. (WOOD) — In a recently published blog from DTE Energy on Empowering Michigan, the company warns against falling for common traps laid by alternative gas suppliers that could hook the consumer into huge bills. Here in Michigan residents are able to choose their natural gas provider through a program called Gas Customer Choice. But some suppliers may offer too good to be true rates that will ultimate hurt the customer.
One example could be happening throughout the state right now. DTE says AGS companies will sometimes offer extremely low summer rates and skyrocket those prices in the winter, when homeowners use more gas which can raise the bill astronomically. The blog offers a useful tool to compare pricing across the state.
The company wants customers to know that their rates are regulated whereas AGS’s are not. And getting gas from AGS’s doesn’t change where the gas is coming from. Those companies are using DTE transmission and delivery lines to provide to home across the state. So be extra vigilant reviewing the bill, the blog says, “Your natural gas bill will show the Gas Cost Recovery charge, which is DTE’s cost for the natural gas you use. Note that we do not mark up this cost – we simply charge what we ourselves paid for the gas. If you are served by an alternative gas supplier (AGS), your bill will show the name of the company providing your natural gas service and the price they are charging you for their gas.”
Right now there are approximately 100,000 DTE gas customers who use AGS provers and more than half of them are paying double the DTE gas rate. Learn how ways to find the most affordable natural gas by reading the blog, here.
