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News Release
Dec. 30, 2004
Natural Gas Cost Remains Stable Into New
Year
Albuquerque: The unit cost of natural gas in January,
typically the highest consumption month for PNM customers,
will be roughly what it was in November and December.
The January price of gas is 69.53 cents per therm, close
to prices in December (69.32 cents) and November (69.59 cents).
Based on expected average residential use of 131 therms in
January, this will result in an average residential bill of
$136.73, including franchise fee and gross receipts tax. Last
January, the price was 59.01 cents per therm, resulting in
an average expected bill of $114.11.
PNM purchases gas from every major supplier in New Mexico
and uses a variety of techniques, including hedging, gas storage
and fixed-price contracts, to purchase gas as competitively
as possible for customers. Under state regulation, the cost
of gas is a pass through for PNM.
New round-up option for PNM Good Neighbor Fund
Customers now have a fourth way to donate to the PNM Good
Neighbor Fund, which matches customer donations with shareholder
dollars, up to certain limits, to help those customers struggling
to pay their winter heating bills.
Customers can have their bills automatically rounded up to
the nearest dollar every month, with the difference going
directly to the PNM Good Neighbor Fund and then matched dollar-for-dollar
by PNM shareholders. For example, the $97.34 bill of a customer
choosing the round-up option would be automatically increased
to $98. This would add $1.32 to the PNM Good Neighbor Fund
(66 cents from the customer and 66 cents from PNM shareholders).
Customers can authorize the round-up option by filling out
a form included in the January EnergyWorks bill insert or
by calling 246-5700 in Albuquerque or (800) 681-7854 statewide.
Customers may also donate to the PNM Good Neighbor Fund by
writing in an amount on their bill stub and adding it to their
payment, authorizing PNM to add a certain amount to each month’s
bill, or including a separate check with their monthly payment
Donations to the PNM Good Neighbor Fund are tax deductible.
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