Natural gas serves nearly 66.7 million homes throughout the United States. Start here to learn why so many homeowners are choosing safe, clean and affordable natural gas.
- Convenient and Reliable
Natural gas is piped directly to your home, eliminating the need to prepay for fuel, monitor fuel levels and schedule deliveries.
- Safe
The natural gas pipeline infrastructure is the nation’s safest energy delivery system. Liberty has experienced personnel that routinely inspect and maintain natural gas service lines, and service crews are available to respond to emergencies 24/7. - Economical
Historical analysis shows that natural gas offers a cost advantage over electricity, propane and fuel oil. With natural gas you don’t pay us until after you use it, so you can keep your money in the bank, not in a tank. - Environmentally Friendly
Natural gas is clean burning and produces emissions much lower than those of other fossil fuels like coal or oil, making it the responsible choice for the environment and your family. - Abundant
There are currently enough natural gas reserves to supply the United States for up to 150 years, and new reserves are discovered each year.
- Versatile
Natural gas can be used inside and outside your home. In addition to heating, it is great for cooking, drying clothes, powering generators, grilling, heating pools and a host of other uses. - Domestic
With most production occurring domestically, the natural gas industry helps to produce new U.S. jobs and promotes energy independence.
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What Is Natural Gas?
Natural gas is a combustible gas that is a mixture of simple hydrocarbon compounds. It is a fossil fuel that contains primarily methane, along with small amounts of ethane, butane, pentane, and propane. Natural gas does not contain carbon monoxide. The by-products of burning natural gas are primarily carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Natural gas is a colorless, tasteless, odorless, and non-toxic gas. Because it is odorless, a powerful chemical called mercaptan is added to the gas, in very small amounts, to give the gas a distinctive smell of rotten eggs. This strong smell can be helpful in detecting the source of any gas leak.
Natural gas is about 40% lighter than air, so should it ever leak, it can dissipate into the air. Other positive attributes of natural gas are a high ignition temperature and a narrow flammability range, meaning natural gas will ignite at temperatures above 1,100 degrees and burn at a mix of 4 – 15% volume in air.
Natural gas is found in rocks beneath the earth’s surface, in sedimentary rock that is porous. Production companies explore, drill, and bring the natural gas to the surface. Transmission companies operate large pipelines that bring the gas from the production sites (“wellheads”) to “gate stations” where distribution companies, like Liberty Utilities, bring the natural gas to homes and businesses through a network of underground pipelines.
Industry Terms and Definitions
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
A measure of the efficiency of a gas appliance: the higher the rating, the more efficient the appliance.
British Thermal Unit (BTU)
The amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water 1° F.
CCF
100 cubic feet of gas.
Customer Charge
Basic service charge includes maintenance of gas lines, meters, and other costs such as meter reading and billing. This charge is billed to the customer whether or not any gas service is used each month and, for Liberty Utilities customers, includes the distribution delivery charge for the first four therms or less of gas usage.
Decatherm
Ten therms or 1 million Btu’s (MMBT). One decatherm equals approximately 1,000 cubic feet of gas (MCF).
Degree Day
A unit measuring the extent to which the daily outdoor average temperature falls below an assumed basis, usually 65° F for heating. One degree-day is counted for each degree falling below (for heating) the assumed base for each calendar day.
Distribution Delivery
Local Distribution Company on-system costs from the city gate to the burner tip. Includes operating, maintenance and administrative costs, as well as a return on investment in capital assets used to distribute gas.
DPA (Deferred Payment Arrangement)
An arrangement that permits a residential customer to pay overdue bills in installments.
Firm Service
Continuous service by Liberty Utilities except in instances of “force majeure”.
“Force Majeure”
Circumstances beyond the control of the utility which prevent provision of service.
GAC (Gas Adjustment Clause)
Also known as GCA, gas cost adjustment. A method of reflecting changes from month to month in the cost to a utility of gas supplied to its customers. Elements included in the calculation include changes in the price of gas (commodity) from various pipeline suppliers, currency exchange rates, refunds ordered by FERC, and any reconciliation between GAC revenues and the actual payments utilities made for gas in the prior year.
Gas Interconnection
Costs incurred for interconnection to upstream pipelines.
Gas Supply
The cost of the natural gas.
Gas Transportation
Costs incurred from the well-head to the city gate/metering station between the pipeline and the Local Distribution Company.
HEAP
See LIHEAP
Interruptible
Customer must switch to an alternative fuel at times the Company deems necessary. *
LDC (Local Distribution Company)
A company which obtains the major portion of its gas operating revenues from the operation of a retail gas distribution system, and which operates no transmission system other than incidental connections within its own system or the system of another company. Liberty Utilities is an LDC.
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
Administered by the NYS Department of Social Services, this is a federally-funded program that provides low-income households with financial assistance to pay heating bills.
Load Balancing
Costs of gas supplies used to balance loads on a daily basis.
MCF
1,000 cubic feet of gas.
Methane
The major component of natural gas, it is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic hydrocarbon (CH4).
MMBtu
Ten therms or 1 million Btu’s. One decatherm equals approximately 1,000 cubic feet of gas (MCF).
Odorant
A substance which is added to natural gas to give it a perceptible odor so that its presence can be detected. The most common odorant is known as Mercaptan.
Peak Day
Customer’s highest single daily gas requirement during 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (Central Standard Time).
Peak Hour
1/24th of the peak day – Customer is allowed a 20% overrun on the peak hour.
Sales
Company procures natural gas and distributes to Customer.
Service Regulator
Installed on the gas service line to control the gas pressure delivered to the customer.
Tariff
A compilation of a utility’s rates and rules governing its relations with customers. Changes are subject to review and approval by the NYS Public Service Commission.
Therm
100,000 Btu – Approximately 100 cubic feet (CCF) of gas.
Transportation
Customer procures natural gas from a third party and Company distributes this gas to Customer.
* Customer will guarantee an annual minimum bill that is equal to:
contract volume x .75 x customer’s average monthly rate (interruptible sales or transportation) for contract year.
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
• American Gas Association – http://www.aga.org/pages/default.aspx
• Northeast Gas Association – http://northeastgas.org/index.php
• National Pipeline Mapping System – https://www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov
• e-SMART learning: electricity and natural gas safety from Xcel Energy – http://www.e-smartonline.net/xcelenergy/index.php
• Dig Safely New York – Call Before You Dig – 811 – http://www.digsafelynewyork.com/video/
• NGA First Responder Website – http://firstresponder.ngridsafety.com