Consumers Energy Offers Lowest Natural Gas Price Since 2001

Price Is Most Affordable in Michigan, Reaches 14-Year Low

News provided by

Mar 30, 2015, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., March 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Households and businesses that Consumers Energy serves in April will pay the lowest price for natural gas in 14 years.

"We work every day to provide natural gas to Michigan residents at a low price, and we are excited that the price has now fallen to a 14-year low," said Tim Sparks, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy supply operations. "We're not only delivering natural gas safely, but at a price that's even more affordable."

Some facts to consider:

Consumers Energy customers will pay $3.47 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas as of Wednesday, April 1.
That is $1.28 less than the price in April 2014, and 61 percent below the price in April 2006.
The last time they paid so little was in April 2001. The Detroit Tigers were preparing to start their second season at Comerica Park.
Consumers Energy in April will have the lowest natural gas price of any Michigan energy provider.

Consumers Energy uses a disciplined strategy to purchase, store and deliver natural gas to 1.7 million homes and businesses. The company purchases gas in the summer, when prices tend to be lower, and pumps it into 15 underground storage fields across the state. That helps keep bills low because Consumers Energy does not need to go into the market to buy as much gas at times when it's most expensive.

"The average household that we serve will pay about $2 a day over the next year for natural gas," Sparks said. "We're pleased to provide natural gas for such a low price because that produces savings that people can spend on themselves while continuing to boost Michigan's economy."

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

Media toolkit

NATURAL GAS PRICE: A look at Consumers Energy's natural gas price by year (per thousand cubic feet):