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Welcome to Washington Gas

For 160 years Washington Gas has been distributing natural gas to customers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. We bring natural gas to your home or business safely and reliably.

WASHINGTON GAS Virginia E-News - FALL 2009

WELCOME TO WASHINGTON GAS VIRGINIA E-NEWS

Welcome to Washington Gas Virginia E-News, a periodic electronic newsletter about the company's efforts and activities in Northern Virginia .The purpose of the e-newsletter is to educate and inform business, community and civic leaders about the company, share insights into how it does business and provide news items of interest in Northern Virginia. We believe this tool will be a valuable addition to our community outreach efforts and will provide helpful and timely information about the quality of service we provide to our customers. Feel free to forward this newsletter to other community-based organizations that you feel may be interested.

IN THIS ISSUE:


 

DEGRAFFENREIDT RETIRES

Chairman James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr., officially retired on Oct. 1 after 23 years of service. DeGraffenreidt joined the company in 1986 as Senior Managing Attorney. He served in several roles before being elected President and COO in 1994, CEO in 2000, and finally Chairman and CEO of WGL Holdings and Washington Gas in October 2001. DeGraffenreidt is recognized as an innovative leader in the natural gas industry and was instrumental in gaining more recognition for Washington Gas.

Succeeding DeGraffenreidt is Terry McCallister, who was elected Chairman and CEO of WGL Holdings, Inc. and Washington Gas effective Oct. 1. Prior to his election, McCallister had served as President and Chief Operating Officer of WGL Holdings and Washington Gas. He plays an active leadership role in the natural gas industry and the community, serving on the board of directors for the Gas Technology Institute (a research company for the natural gas industry), the American Gas Association and the Southern Gas Association. He also serves on the board of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

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WASHINGTON GAS EXPECTS SLIGHT DECREASE IN WINTER HEATING BILLS AND ENCOURAGES CUSTOMERS TO PREPARE FOR HEATING SEASON

On October 8, Washington Gas announced that its customers could expect a 10 to 20 percent decrease in winter heating bills compared with last winter's bills. The reduction is attributed to gas commodity prices forecasted to be lower than in the winter 2008-2009 winter heating season, as well as a lower consumption forecast, based on normal weather instead of the colder-than-normal 2008-2009 winter. Despite the forecast for lower bills, prices may vary if colder-than-expected temperatures result in an increased demand for natural gas.

"While colder weather and increased demand can increase the market price for natural gas, Washington Gas has already purchased a significant portion of our anticipated winter supplies at prices that are locked in or capped, and that approach will help in protecting customers against seasonal price increases," said Adrian Chapman, president and chief operating officer at Washington Gas. "The increased domestic supplies of natural gas have resulted in significantly lower commodity prices and our purchasing strategy was well positioned to take advantage of the market developments."
Gas supply costs - the amount Washington Gas pays to acquire natural gas and have the gas delivered to the system - make up about two-thirds of the average customer's heating bill. This price appears on the customer's bill as the per "therm" charge. As a regulated utility, Washington Gas does not charge customers more than the same price that the company pays for the gas supply. The rest of a customer's bill consists of distribution costs, taxes or other fees levied by state and local governments.
As colder weather approaches, Washington Gas continues to encourage all customers to prepare their homes for the winter heating season by practicing energy efficiency, including the following low-cost or no-cost tips:

  • Change or clean furnace/air filters once a month and schedule an annual check-up with a licensed professional.

  • Caulk and weather strip around doors and windows.

  • Install rubber gaskets behind outlet and switch plates.

  • Turn the water heater down to warm or low settings, never more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 

  • Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.

  • Use cold water for laundry using specially formulated cold-water detergents.

  • Consider installing new, high-efficiency appliances.

  • Look for the ENERGY STAR energy-efficient product label.

  • Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat, which automatically lowers the temperature setting at night and increases the setting during the day.

For those customers having difficulty paying their gas bills, Washington Gas recommends the following options:

  • The Washington Gas Budget Plan: This plan allows eligible customers to spread the cost of winter heating over the entire year. It helps to minimize the impact of typically higher seasonal bills and provides greater flexibility in managing a household budget. If customers are having difficulty paying winter heating bills, they should call Washington Gas at 703-750-1000 as soon as possible to discuss any concerns or billing issues.
  • Customer Choice: This is an option for customers to buy their natural gas from an energy company other than Washington Gas. They can visit washingtongas.com and click on Customer Choice. Regardless of which company sells natural gas to customers, Washington Gas will deliver it and respond to gas emergencies around the clock.
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MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

Conserve Energy, Save Money This Winter.  More. . .

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WASHINGTON AREA FUEL FUND (WAFF)

The Washington Area Fuel Fund: WAFF was founded by Washington Gas more than 25 years ago. This financial assistance program helps families who do not qualify for, or who have exhausted, government energy assistance. Administered by The Salvation Army, WAFF provides funds for all types of fuel to heat families' homes in the winter. To date, the program has disbursed approximately $19.5 million in funds to help more than 232,000 residents in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. For more information about WAFF, please visit washingtonareafuelfund.org.

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GAS PIPE MAINTENANCE

The natural gas pipes up to your home, including your gas meter, are owned by Washington Gas and we inspect and maintain them regularly. The pipes on the other side of the gas meter throughout your home belong to you. Monitoring and maintaining them are your responsibility, whether they are visible or not. Have them checked periodically for corrosion or leaks. Call a licensed natural gas contractor if any unsafe condition is detected.

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WASHINGTON GAS RECOGNIZED BY J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES FOR UTILITY INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE

Washington Gas received the highest ratings from the J. D. Power and Associates 2009 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Survey. Utilities are ranked in four geographical regions and Washington Gas was tied for second in the Eastern region with Rochester Gas & Electric and UGI Industries. This recognition follows the top ranking for business customer satisfaction in the East region that Washington Gas achieved in the 2009 J.D. Power Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study.

The study, now in its eighth year, measures residential customer satisfaction with gas utility companies across six factors (listed in order of importance): billing and payment; price; corporate citizenship; communications; customer service; and field service. The survey is based on more than 54,000 responses from residential customers of the 75 largest gas utilities across the continental United States. These utilities serve more than 53 million households. The study was fielded between September 2008 and July 2009. More. . .

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VOLUNTEERS WORK CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

Twenty six Washington Gas volunteers assisted in coordinating the 39th Annual International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap. The two-day festival was organized by the Arts Council of Fairfax in an effort to educate children about the arts. The event featured children's performing groups from Georgia, Serbia and Spain along with more than 100 other local, regional and national performing groups. Volunteers assisted performers and delivered food, shirts, crafts and drinks throughout the park. 

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Customers should call Washington Gas at 703.750.1000 for special programs offered by Washington Gas.

Washington Gas Virginia E-News is a periodic newsletter delivered to civic and neighborhood associations and customers in the State of Virginia.
If you would like to be removed from this e-mail distribution list, or for further information, contact us at Enews@washingtongas.com.