Gas supply

Buying natural gas

In Manitoba, you can choose to buy your natural gas from us or from an independent natural gas marketer. You have various rate options to best meet your individual needs. Before you decide, you should understand all your options, so that you can make the best choice for your situation.

If you currently purchase your Gas Commodity from a natural gas marketer, you will find their contact information on your Manitoba Hydro bill.

Choosing your natural gas supplier

Customers can choose whether to buy Gas Commodity from Manitoba Hydro or a natural gas marketer.

Whichever supplier you choose, we will continue to deliver the natural gas to your home or business and bill you for it.

Choosing a Gas Commodity rate option

Customers can choose a Gas Commodity rate option:

1. Quarterly rate service (adjusted 4 times per year)
   • This is the default natural gas service option provided by Manitoba Hydro. No contracts are required.
   • The market cost is passed directly to customers without mark-up or profit.
   • Gas Commodity rates are adjusted every 3 months to reflect the cost of providing this service. Regular adjustments help smooth sharp increases or decreases in daily market costs, which can occur during times of high market volatility.
2. Fixed Rate Service (fixed for a term of at least 1 year)
   • The Fixed Rate Service is offered by Manitoba Hydro during designated enrolment periods. Sign up to receive notifications about fixed rate natural gas services.
   • Consumers choosing fixed rate service sign a contract to pay a fixed rate for Gas Commodity over a specified term – usually 1 to 5 years.
   • Under a fixed-rate option, your Gas Commodity rate stays the same for the length of the contract, regardless of whether market prices go up or down.
   • Choosing a fixed rate may or may not result in cost savings over the contract term.
   • A fixed-rate Gas Commodity option fixes only the per-cubic-metre rate you pay for Gas Commodity. Your total natural gas bill will continue to fluctuate, depending on your natural gas use, which is impacted by many factors such as weather.

If you want to budget your energy bill payments and pay in equal monthly instalments, you may also choose to sign up for our Equal Payment Plan. It’s available to all quarterly rate and fixed-rate customers regardless of your Gas Commodity supplier.

Which service option should I choose?

Each option offers different benefits, risks, and costs. To help you make a choice, consider the following:

• the per-cubic-metre rate offered by Manitoba Hydro and the natural gas marketers for various Gas Commodity products – view current rates from the various residential Gas Commodity providers in Manitoba;
• how much natural gas you typically use;
• whether or not you wish to sign a contract and fix your rate for a period of time;
• the terms of the contract, including length, fees, and administration charges (if any);
• natural gas market conditions;
• your tolerance for risk.

Public Utilities Board

The Public Utilities Board of Manitoba (PUB) regulates Manitoba Hydro’s rates. It is an independent provincial regulatory agency whose role is to represent both customer interests and our interests by ensuring that energy rates are fair and appropriate.

The PUB must review and approve all Manitoba Hydro rate changes before they are implemented. The PUB does not regulate natural gas marketers’ Gas Commodity rates.

Customers wishing to forward comments about Manitoba Hydro to the PUB can do so either verbally at public hearings or in writing. For more information, contact the PUB directly:

• Phone 204-945-2638 or toll-free 1-866-854-3698.
• Email the Public Utilities Board.
• Visit the Public Utilities Board website.

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Our Fixed Rate natural gas service

Fixed Rate Service for natural gas supply is available during designated enrolment periods throughout the year. It provides residential and commercial customers the option to choose a fixed rate for their natural gas for a 1, 3 or 5-year term through Manitoba Hydro.

Note that even with the Fixed Rate Service, your total bill will fluctuate, depending on how much natural gas you use each month.

Why is the availability limited?

Manitoba Hydro assumes a certain level of risk associated with entering into a fixed rate natural gas contract with you. In order to manage exposure to the risks associated with offering the Fixed Rate Service, Manitoba Hydro reserves the right to limit the availability of any offering.

Eligibility

All Manitoba residential/commercial small general service (SGS) and large gas service (LGS) class natural gas customers are eligible to participate in our Fixed Rate Service, as long as you are not currently under contract with an independent gas marketer.

Frequently asked questions

Historical natural gas rates

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Our Gas Commodity Quarterly Rate Service

Under this option, Gas Commodity rates are adjusted every 3 months to reflect the cost of providing the service. The market cost is passed directly to customers without mark-up or profit.

This option is the default Gas Commodity service we provide to all natural gas customers. Customers not choosing a fixed rate service will be provided with the default Quarterly Rate Service.

The quarterly rate is stabilized by a number of measures that include:

• Quarterly rates are calculated on an annualized basis, removing much of the seasonal swings in price that would otherwise have to be passed on to customers if they were set based on costs for the upcoming 3 months only.
• Natural gas is stored underground in the summer to meet demand in the winter. This storage provides rate stability as this component is fixed once per year each November and remains constant throughout the year.

• View a historical market price comparison chart (PDF, 53 KB)
  Compares our historical quarterly rate Gas Commodity service to the natural gas market index price.

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Natural gas marketers

Natural gas marketers, or brokers, are independent companies that:

• can only supply the Gas Commodity to a customer;
• arrange alternate rates and terms of service for Gas Commodity supply;
• may offer different Gas Commodity rate options or pricing than we do;
• do not deliver the natural gas;
• do not provide utility services;
• do not have their rates and options regulated by the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba.

The Public Utilities Board keeps a complete list of natural gas marketers that are authorized to operate in Manitoba.

If you sign an agreement with a natural gas marketer for your Gas Commodity supply, we will continue to provide all other components of your natural gas supply and service. You will still receive your bill from us.

What changes can you expect to see on your bill?

• The Gas Commodity rate you agreed to with your natural gas marketer.
• The name of your natural gas marketer in the Gas Commodity line.
• The name and telephone number of your natural gas marketer for questions about your Gas Commodity supply, rate, and agreement.

What stays the same on your bill?

• Other components of your bill, supplied and billed as usual.
• Total monthly bill continues to be the sum of all the bill components.

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Fixed Rate Service notifications

With the Fixed Rate Service, your total bill will fluctuate, depending on how much natural gas you use each month. If you want to make your energy payments the same each month, you can read more and sign up for the Equal Payment Plan.

Contact me when future enrolment periods are announced for the Fixed Rate Service.

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