Rant of the week (day? hour?)

Normally, for folks who pay a fixed averaged amount every month for their natural gas, summer is when natural gas utility accounts get paid off due to less consumption and low prices. But this summer, natural gas prices have risen to mid-winter extreme prices (almost $14 per gigajoule). This has made it so even though consumption might be way down, account balances are decreasing much slower during the summer months, which will leave many consumers with outstanding balances of several hundred dollars come the fall when natural gas providers typically reconcile everyone's accounts. Of course, it doesn't help matters that in Alberta, we've become accustomed to the province's rebate that kicks in when prices exceed $5.50 per gigajoule. Yeah, we get a rebate because we're the producer of the stuff..... perks I guess. But this rebate only happens between October and March. There's no relief when prices soar mid-summer. I feel the most for seniors and others on fixed incomes.

You shouldn't have to pay $50+ per month (based on actual use) during the summer just to heat hot water. I've read a variety of articles that try to explain why the prices had to go up so much this summer, but unless you can make that fit into the basic model of supply versus demand, it's all...... ummmmm......... how you say....... bullshit. There's no demand for the stuff in the summer, so charging people beyond winter time prices for it is criminal.