Electricity

When Given a Choice Many Customers Switch

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Customer switching grows in states with retail choice: marketer group
San Antonio (Platts)
The number of electric utility customers buying power from retail marketers has climbed substantially in the last few years and the benefits should prompt more states to enact retail choice, according to a report from a competitive supplier group.

Between 2008 and the end of 2011, the number of customers that switched to retail marketers grew by about 53% in the US, to 13.3 million from 8.7 million, the report, which was released Tuesday, said.

The growth is notable for a couple reasons, including that retail choice had been in place in some states for about 10 years before the 8.7 million total was reached, and that the growth took place when electricity…

Natural Gas

The Nat Gas supply glut continues to grow – A Buyers’ Market

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This is from a seller’s perspective.

The Nat Gas supply glut continues to grow
By Dominick Chirihella – Thu 29 Mar 2012 19:38:45 CT        CME Group
Have I said that Nat Gas is bearish? Yes it is still bearish after yet another fundamental snapshot that was bearish on all fronts (see below for a more detailed discussion on inventories). The downtrend remains solidly in play as the newly anointed spot Nymex contract declined by 5.8% on its first day of trading as the spot contract. As I mentioned in previous newsletters I expected the May contract to follow the footsteps put in place by the expiring April contract and that is exactly what it did on Thursday. There is nothing to change my view that Nat Gas futures contracts are destined to trade with a $1/mmbtu handle sooner than later. Yesterday’s inventory…