UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARGES

Whether you buy your natural gas from Washington Gas or from an energy supply company, the following services are listed on your bill:

Distribution Charge: This covers the cost of transporting the natural gas through the Washington Gas system to your meter. The monthly Distribution Charge is based on the amount of natural gas you use (stated in therms on your bill).

In addition, this section may list any surcharges applicable to your jurisdiction, such as PROJECTpipes in Washington, D.C., STRIDE in Maryland or All Applicable Riders in Virginia.

Below is a line item explanation of your Distribution Charge:

Charges Included on Your Bill:

Customer Charge: This is a fixed monthly amount that covers certain costs of providing you service, including maintenance and repair of customer lines, depreciation, taxes and customer-related expenses, such as meter reading and billing.
Natural Gas Supply Charge: This relates to the purchase and provision of the natural gas supply or commodity.
Purchase Gas Charge (PGC): If you buy gas from Washington Gas, you will see the abbreviation “PGC” on your bill. This Purchased Gas Charge (PGC) includes the cost to purchase the natural gas supply, plus the expense of transporting it through the interstate natural gas pipeline system. By regulation, Washington Gas must charge customers what it pays for the natural gas supply they use and cannot profit by increasing the cost of the natural gas supply it sells.
If you buy gas from an energy supply company, the price should be specified in your contract with the supplier.
Taxes: Imposed by your local jurisdiction, taxes are collected by Washington Gas and remitted to the appropriate taxing authorities.

For billing purposes, your natural gas usage is expressed in therms. A therm is a measure of the heat energy in natural gas and is approximately equal to the heat content in 100 cubic feet of natural gas, or a Centum Cubic Feet (CCF). Your meter reading (expressed in CCF of natural gas) and an energy content conversion factor determine the total number of therms you use. Other important explanations and customer information can be found on your Washington Gas utility bill.

Gaslights:

Many newer gaslight installations are metered and charges are assessed based on the volume of gas used. Older gaslights may be unmetered and are billed at a fixed charge, itemized on the bill as Unmetered Gaslight. A typical two-mantle residential gaslight consumes about 219 therms annually. If you turn an unmetered gaslight on or off, please let us know immediately so we can bill you correctly.