December 2, 2011, Chicago—Illinois' natural gas market remained stable in December, in line with a recent report from state utilities that prices could remain relatively low for several years.

The prices being charged by Illinois utilities in December don't veer more than a few pennies—up or down—from last month's rates, and Nicor's price is the same as what it charged in November.

About a month ago, gas utilities reported to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) that the market could be stable into 2018, thanks in part to a slow economy and increased gas production. "Bottom line, today we are flush with natural gas," a utility official said.

Here's what natural gas utilities are charging in December: Natural gas is billed by the "therm." That's the amount of gas needed to run a typical home's furnace for an hour. Utilities are supposed to pass the cost for the gas itself—also called the supply charge or gas charge—directly onto consumers with no mark up. Supply costs take up about two-thirds of your bill.

The prices above differ from the companies' delivery charges—what customers pay to have natural gas delivered to their homes. Those charges, which take up roughly a third of the bill, are where the utility makes a profit. (See CUB's "Making Sense of Your Gas Bill" fact sheet for more information.)

Despite the relative calm in the natural gas market, nobody would argue that their heating bills are low, especially when they consider that gas prices in the 1990s ranged from 20 cents per therm to 40 cents per therm.

Plus, CUB is currently fighting attempts by Peoples/North Shore Gas and Ameren to increase customers' delivery charges. Peoples/North Shore Gas is asking state regulators for a $120 million rate hike, while Ameren has filed for a $50 million gas increase. CUB's also working for a $300 million refund for Nicor customers, alleging the utility overcharged its customers at a time when prices were skyrocketing. You can help CUB fight these battles by contributing to our rate-hike defense fund, and filing an online comment with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

In the meantime, keep a lid on your winter heating costs with CUB Energy Saver. CUB's free service will help you build a personalized plan to cut your home's natural gas and electric costs. It's been showing people how to cut their bills by more than $100 a year.

CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $10 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit www.citizensutilityboard.org.

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