Gas Charge Definitions
Customer Charge: The fixed monthly charge that recovers the cost of metering, meter reading and preparing and mailing your bill. The Customer Charge does not change when your usage of natural gas increases or decreases.
Distribution Charge: The cost of delivering natural gas through Unitil's pipes to your home or business. It includes our operating and maintenance costs, investment in the pipe and other equipment and costs such as bad debt expenses.
Distribution Adjustment Charge: This charge recovers other operating and maintenance costs not reflected in the distribution charge including certain environmental costs and costs of low-income programs and energy efficiency programs.
Default Service Charge: All Unitil gas customers have the option to purchase natural gas from competitive suppliers. If you do not choose another supplier, you will continue to receive your natural gas from Unitil's Default Service. This charge recovers the cost of acquiring gas for your use and having that gas shipped to Unitil's gas distribution system.
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Farm Credit: Customers who qualify as person or corporations engaged in the business of agriculture or farming, as defined pursuant to section 1A of Chapter 128 of the General Laws, shall receive a credit of ten percent from the otherwise applicable rates. The credit shall be based on full Delivery Service rates plus Default Service Charges, if applicable, plus the Energy Conservation Service Surcharge, if applicable. The credit will be recalculated as required to maintain the ten percent discount from these rates as in effect from time to time.
Terms of Payment
The Charges for service under this Schedule are net, billed monthly and payable upon presentation of bill. Interest charges will be added from the date of the original bill if current charges for electricity are not paid and received by the Company or its agents within twenty-five (25) days.
For business customers: Interest charges shall be calculated at an annual rate of interest which is the equivalent of the rate paid on two-year United States Treasury notes for the preceding 12 months ending December 31 of any year, plus 10 percent, i.e. 1000 basis points, in accordance with 220 CMR 26.00. The monthly interest charge is also added to accounts until all arrears have been paid.
Typical Rate Change Dates
Energy Conservation Service Charge - January 1
Default Service - May 1 and November 1
Distribution Adjustment Charge - May 1 and November 1
Additional Information
If you have any questions about our charges, please contact our Customer Service Department by calling toll-free at 888-301-7700. Questions may also be addressed to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) at 617-737-2836 or toll-free at 877-886-5066.
Customer Charge: The costs of providing services such as metering, billing and account maintenance. These are fixed costs and are not affected by the amount of natural gas you use.
Distribution Charge: The cost of delivering natural gas through our pipes to your home or business. It includes our investment in, and maintenance of, pipe and other equipment that makes gas delivery possible.
Energy Efficiency Rate Assessment: A charge mandated by the State of Maine the proceeds of which are used by Efficiency Maine to finance energy efficiency programs for Northern Gas Customers.
Environmental Response Charge: The costs of environmental remediation programs.
Cost of Gas: The cost of the natural gas we supply to you, if you have not chosen another supplier. This charge includes the cost we pay for the gas, the cost of interstate transportation, and our cost of storing the gas.
Competitive Supplier Charge (for business customers): The charge for gas you purchased from a competitive supplier.
Low Income Discount Program (for residential customers only)
Customers taking service under the Residential rate may be eligible to receive a 30% discount on delivery and gas supply rates. This discount will apply to all customers identified by the Maine State Housing Authority as eligible for LIHEAP. Once enrolled, customers will receive the discount for 12 consecutive months.
Terms of Payment
Bills are rendered net and are due and payable upon presentation. A late charge of one percent (1%) per month or twelve percent (12%) per annum will be assessed on all balances that remain unpaid at the end of each billing period, said period to be no less than twenty-five (25) days from date of postmark. Customer may be billed on a bi-monthly basis.
Typical Rate Change Dates
Energy Efficiency Rate Assessment - November 1
Environmental Response Charge - May 1, November 1
Cost of Gas - May 1, November 1
Additional Information
If you have any questions about our charges, please contact our Customer Service Department by calling toll-free at 866-933-3821. Questions may also be addressed to the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) at 800-452-4699.
Customer Charge: The costs of providing services such as metering, billing and account maintenance. These are fixed costs and are not affected by the amount of natural gas you use.
Distribution Charge: The cost of delivering natural gas through our pipes to your home or business. It includes our investment in, and maintenance of, the pipe and other equipment that makes gas delivery possible.
Distribution Adjustment Factor: The costs of environmental, energy efficiency, and low income assistance programs.
Cost of Gas: The cost of the natural gas we supply to you, if you have not chosen another supplier. This charge includes the cost we pay for the gas, the cost of interstate transportation, and our cost of storing the gas.
Competitive Supplier Charge: The charge for gas you purchased from a competitive supplier.
Terms of Payment
The charges for gas service are net, billed monthly and are due and payable upon receipt. A late payment charge at a rate determined by the NHPUC will be assessed from the date of the bill on balances not paid within thirty days. When bills are paid by remittance through the mail, the postmark on the envelop shall be the date of payment.
Typical Rate Change Dates
Distribution Adjustment - November 1
Gas Cost Adjustment - May 1 and November 1
Additional Information
If you have any questions about our charges, please contact our Customer Service Department by calling toll-free at 866-933-3820. Questions may also be addressed to the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC) toll-free at 800-852-3793.
