Energy Resources

Estimating Your Residential Winter Monthly Gas Bill

Natural gas prices have increased dramatically during this winter season. The increased winter prices are due to several factors including high natural gas consumption due to below-average temperatures, increased natural gas needs to generate energy, constraints on the natural gas supply for California, lower than seasonal average natural gas storage, as well as an increase in exports of natural gas.

In order to assist our customers, the City of Long Beach Utilities provides specific tools to lessen bill spikes while also offering conservation tips, rebates, and bill assistance for those struggling to pay high utility bills. We recognize the high prices are a strain on our customers and although temporary, we are here to help. Follow the below steps to estimate your monthly bill during the winter season.

For additional information on high natural gas prices:

View our FAQ on high winter gas rates: + Read More About It
View the Press Release on high winter gas rates: + Read More About It 
View the Direct Mailer on high winter gas rates: + Read More About It (Spanish, Tagalog, Khmer)
View our Bill Insert on High winter gas rates: + Read More About It 

Please note that the following information is intended for Schedule 1 residential customers.
To view other rate schedules, visit our Gas Rate Schedules page for more information.

How To Estimate Your Next Bill:

STEP 1:

Use the above chart to determine your next monthly bill. Look at your most current gas bill for your historical gas usage, which references the amount of Therms used (also known as your "Cost of Gas" in your Gas item on your bill). In this example, we'll use the Dec. '21 historical usage to estimate the Dec. '22 bill. This would be a usage of approximately 40 therms, as shown by the red arrow pointing to Dec. '21.

STEP 2:

Click the following link to find the current month's core commodity charge. We will use the Dec. '22 Core Commodity Charge for this example: http://longbeach.gov/energyresources/information/cost-of-gas/#core

STEP 3:

Use the chart below to follow your usage in therms at the price of the month you are estimating. In this example, round up the Dec. '21 historical usage to 40 Therms. Then, round up the Dec. '22 Core Commodity Charge of $1.4218/Therm to $1.500/Therm.

STEP 4:

If you use about the same amount of gas in Dec. '22 as you did in Dec. '21, your Dec. '22 gas bill would be approximately $104.61.

Tools and Programs to Manage Your Upcoming Bills:

Natural Gas Saving Tips

Low-Income Gas Discount

Calculating the Cost of Gas