WhiteFence Index Trends: August 2013

ELECTRICITY

Extremes:
1. Highest bill: Houston, TX at $248.65
2. Lowest bill: Los Angeles, CA at $40.79
3. Largest Month over Month (MOM) increase: Dallas, TX from $188.59 to $208.17
4. Largest MOM decrease: Indianapolis, IN from $108.78 to $77.11

The city with the highest bill for August was Houston, TX at $248.65. This is typical for Houston, as the summer season is in full effect and temperatures usually reach the 100’s in August. Even as summer winds down, Houston will continue to maintain temperatures in the high 90’s. The greatest increase in monthly bill was Dallas, TX from $188.59 in July to $208.17 in August. This large increase was due to the long stretch of temperatures reaching the high 90’s and 100’s for most of August.

As in July, Los Angeles, CA once again had the lowest bill at $40.79 in August. Los Angeles will continue to provide the lowest electric bill throughout the next few months especially as the southern California temperature rarely fluctuates. Indianapolis, IN saw the greatest decrease, which was a decrease of $31.67 compared to its July average bill. This was primarily due to temperatures slowly decreasing as summer comes to an end in that region.

NATURAL GAS

Extremes:
1. Highest bill: New York, NY at $37.23
2. Lowest bill: Boston, MA at $8.99
3. Largest MOM increase: New York, NY from $35.56 to $37.23
4. Largest MOM decrease: Boston, MA from $12.23 to $8.99

As we saw last month, New York, NY once again had the highest natural gas bill at $37.23 in August. Indianapolis was a close runner up at $29.20. This is a normal trend from a year over year perspective and should continue for the next few months.

Boston, MA had the lowest natural gas bill at $8.99 for the month of August. This is primarily due to a significant decrease in Boston’s natural gas rate. As the fall season approaches, we should see most of the northern region’s natural gas rates increase. As a result, this should help the southern states reclaim the lowest natural gas bill in the country.

The city that saw the largest month over month increase was New York, NY, from $35.56 to $37.23. This increase was not significant, especially as New York already claimed the highest natural gas bill in the country.

Boston, MA also managed to claim the largest month over month decrease from $12.23 in July to $8.99 in August. This was also primarily due to the significantly low natural gas rate for the month of August. As fall approaches, temperatures will begin to drop in the northeast, ultimately increasing the need for natural gas. Boston’s natural gas bill will eventually rise accordingly as well.