How to read your Georgia natural gas bill

Start with five pieces of information

Keep the complete bill, including the page with charge details. Find the service dates, usage in therms, supply price per therm, marketer service charge and Atlanta Gas Light delivery charge. Record the contract end date separately if it is not printed on the bill.

Your marketer sells the gas and handles billing. Atlanta Gas Light operates the local delivery network. A marketer’s service fee and AGL’s delivery charge are different costs, even when both appear on the same statement. A therm measures heat energy; if the meter reading is shown in another unit, use the billed therm quantity for the cost calculation.

• Check the service address and billing period.
• Find therm usage and whether the reading is actual or estimated.
• Record the supply rate and any introductory discount.
• Separate marketer fees from AGL delivery charges.
• Separate current charges from previous balances, payments and credits.

A worked example: where a $74 bill comes from

These are invented figures to explain the arithmetic, not a marketer offer, tax calculation or typical Georgia bill. Assume 50 therms at $0.70 per therm, a $6 marketer fee, $30 in delivery charges and $3 in taxes and other current charges. There is no previous balance, payment or credit in this example.

Why a lower rate may make a smaller difference than expected

At the same 50 therms, reducing the supply rate from $0.70 to $0.60 saves $5 in supply charges. If every other amount stayed unchanged, the example total would fall from $74 to $69. That is a $5 saving, not a 14% reduction in the whole bill: the roughly 14% reduction applies only to the supply rate.

If the replacement plan also raises the marketer fee from $6 to $12, the $6 fee increase exceeds the $5 supply saving. The supply-and-marketer portion rises by $1. Compare both numbers before enrolling; the total-cost guide below works through several usage levels.

Understand delivery costs and the demand factor

AGL explains that its base charges cover delivery infrastructure and include a premises-specific demand factor called Dedicated Design Day Capacity, or DDDC. These charges can vary by month and premises. Changing marketers alone does not change the AGL base charge for that location.

Use the actual delivery amount and demand factor on your bill when asking a marketer for a quote. Do not reuse the invented $30 above as an estimate for your home. If your DDDC or delivery charge looks wrong, ask the marketer to explain it and refer to AGL’s current rate information.

Investigate a higher bill in the right order

First compare therm usage and the number of days billed with the prior period. Then compare the supply rate, recurring fees and delivery charges. A fixed supply rate does not prevent a higher bill when the home uses more gas. Check whether a promotion expired or a contract renewed before attributing the increase to weather alone.

Finally reconcile the amount due: current charges plus any prior balance and applicable charges, less payments and credits. A deposit or past-due balance should not be mistaken for a recurring plan cost. Ask billing support for the calculation behind an unexplained line item, retain the response and check the next statement for any agreed correction.

For shopping, collect twelve months of therm usage if available. Keep your own account numbers and personal details private; Georgia Gas Resources’ comparison tools do not need them. Use published offers to make a shortlist, then obtain written pricing and terms from the marketer.