5-1. Efforts continue to mitigate the risk of price volatility through active management of the portfolio.

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1 REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: August 11, 2014 SUBMITTED BY: Wally Malcolm, Director of Utilities, ext 4538 PREPARED BY: Loraine Baillargeon, Manager, Asset Optimization, ext 4532, Jim Gruenbauer, Manager, Regulatory and Gas Supply, ext 4255 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: July 31, 2014 REPORT NO.: INS SUBJECT: Natural Gas Rates RECOMMENDATION: That the supply component of the natural gas rates be increased to 19.0 cents per cubic meter from 16.5 cents per cubic meter for system gas customers of the City of Kitchener effective September 1, 2014; and, That the transportation component of the natural gas rate be decreased to 3.0 cents per cubic meter from 4.0 cents per cubic meter for system gas customers of the City of Kitchener effective September 1, 2014; and That the delivery components of the natural gas rates be changed as proposed in INS Appendix A for all Kitchener delivery customers effective September 1, BACKGROUND: Kitchener Utilities began a gas supply program in April 1998 to arrange supply for Kitchener Utilities customers who did not choose to buy from a gas marketer. The program was initiated with the goals of mitigating the impact of the natural gas price volatility and eliminating retroactive billing that had become common place with the past provider, Union Gas. Recent changes to the Gas Purchase Policy will continue with these goals while moving the rates charged closer to the market rate. The system gas program uses a disciplined economic approach to secure natural gas contracts in a portfolio. The supply and transportation programs are cost-based services and do not cross-subsidize with other Kitchener Utilities profits. Efforts continue to mitigate the risk of price volatility through active management of the portfolio. 5-1

2 REPORT: Gas rates are changed, at least annually, driven by various events. The gas rates have three components, Gas Supply, Gas Transportation and Gas Delivery. Gas Supply rate is the charge for the natural gas commodity, fuel and administration. The Gas Supply rate is determined based on the committed purchases, forecast consumption, overhead and inventory carryover. The total dollar value is divided by the forecast consumption to determine the rate needed to recover the costs. The budget will be affected in that the budget rate is lower than the proposed rate. Higher market prices during this past extremely cold winter have necessitated this increase. Currently, the budget is negatively affected as the costs are greater than the revenue received. The recommended rate increase is needed to bring the program s projected stabilization reserve to an appropriate position at the end of the upcoming winter season. It should be noted that the recently approved change in the gas purchase policy to yield a more market responsive price for the system supply portfolio may result in greater rate volatility and variances from budget over time. Gas Transportation rate is the rate charged to bring gas supply purchased in Alberta to Ontario. Since July 2013, this rate is determined similar to the Gas Supply rate. As a result, the recommendation is to reduce the rate to one that is more reflective of the actual costs of transportation. The budget will be affected in that the budget rate is higher than the proposed rate. Currently, the budget is favorably impacted as the costs are lower than the revenue received. The recommended rate decrease is needed to bring the program s projected stabilization reserve to an appropriate position at the end of the upcoming winter season. Gas Delivery rate(s) are the rates charged for delivering gas within Ontario to the customer s meter. This includes transmission within Ontario (pipeline border to Kitchener, storage costs), pipeline infrastructure and maintenance (within Kitchener), meter reading and bill processing. With respect to the Gas Delivery charges, there are two components, a daily fixed charge and a variable rate that is charged for the actual or estimated volumes consumed in a particular billing period. Over the past several years, the variable rate has been decreasing and the fixed charge increasing. This shift is done to better match the recovery of fixed costs to provide delivery service to utility customers by fixed customer charges. The shift is revenue neutral, in total, to the average residential customer. The budget may be impacted by consumption variances from forecast and from the timing of the change (September vs July). The delivery components of the proposed natural gas rates in Appendix A include a modest shift in the recovery of costs of infrastructure and maintenance of the Kitchener distribution system between smaller and larger non-contract general service customers. While this shift does not generate additional revenues overall, it is designed to better align the budgeted delivery revenues from each customer class with the costs to serve them, based on their consumption patterns and use of the system. The proposed delivery rates also include separation of charges for storage from delivery. This has no impact on the customers overall bill. 5-2

3 The recommended rates result in a significantly lower overall customer impact than those approved by the OEB effective April 1, Union Gas increased their rates resulting in an annual increase of $200 per average residential system gas customer while Enbridge Gas increased their rates resulting in an annual increase of $400 per average residential system gas customer. These increases were due to the fact that their gas purchases over this past cold winter were significantly higher than the forecast cost. Kitchener Utilities active management of its system portfolio mitigated the impact of higher market prices on supply costs due to the harsh winter. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Theme: Financial Management Strategic Direction: -Invest and manage assets strategically; -Ensure responsible use of public funds within a supportive policy framework; -Maximize value through cost effective service delivery FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The combined impacts of the supply and delivery rates are expected to produce an increase of 4.7% or approximately $40 per year for the average residential system gas customer. In estimations for Rate Category M1 customers, an annual average consumption amount for residential customers of 2,100 m3 is used. Rate M2 customers (commercial/industrial) can expect to see an overall increase of approximately 2% which includes a decrease in the variable delivery rate. The impact on large volume and contract customers will depend upon their consumption and contract demand parameters COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: This report has been posted to the City s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. CONCLUSION: Kitchener Utilities will work with the Communications Division to ensure that media are provided with a media release to inform customers, an insert is being prepared to be distributed with utility bills in September, and an alert will be printed on the envelopes regarding rate changes. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, DCAO, Infrastructure Services 5-3

4 APPENDIX A CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER NATURAL GAS GENERAL SERVICE RATE M1 Applicability To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customers that consume less than 50,000 m3/year. Rate Daily Fixed Charge $.73 and VARIABLE STORAGE COMMODITY TRANSPORTATION NET RATE DELIVERY RATE /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 First 100 m Next 150 m All Over 250 m Supplemental Service to Commercial and Industrial Customers Under Group Meters Combination of readings from several meters may be authorized where meters are located on contiguous pieces of property of the same owner not delivered by a public right-of-way. In such cases, an additional service charge shall be rendered each month in the amount of $15.00 per month for each additional meter so combined. This service is to assist in the administration of the billing for multiple meters on the same property. It does not contemplate amalgamating the consumption readings for the purpose of qualifying for lower delivery rates.. Meter Readings Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in circumstances beyond the control of the Company, such as strikes or non-access to a meter. The Company may estimate the monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer. Effective September 1, 2014 Policy Relating to Terms of Service 1) Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer, unless resold as motor vehicle fuel gas, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82. 2) Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the monthly fixed charge for the months in which the gas is temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and reconnection. 5-4

5 CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER NATURAL GAS GENERAL SERVICE RATE M2 Applicability To residential and non-contract commercial and industrial customers that consume 50,000 m3 and more per year. Rate Daily Fixed Charge $2.30 and VARIABLE STORAGE COMMODITY TRANSPORTATION NET RATE DELIVERY RATE /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 /m 3 First 1,000 m Next 6,000 m Next 13,000 m All over 20,000 m Supplemental Service to Commercial and Industrial Customers Under Group Meters Combination of readings from several meters may be authorized where meters are located on contiguous pieces of property of the same owner not delivered by a public right-of-way. In such cases, an additional service charge shall be rendered each month in the amount of $15.00 per month for each additional meter so combined. This service is to assist in the administration of the billing for multiple meters on the same property. It does not contemplate amalgamating the consumption readings for the purpose of qualifying for lower delivery rates. Meter Readings Gas consumption by each customer under this rate schedule shall be determined by periodic meter readings, provided that in circumstances beyond the control of the Company, such as strikes or non-access to a meter. The Company may estimate the monthly consumption between the meter readings and render a monthly bill to the customer. Effective September 1, 2014 Policy Relating to Terms of Service 2) Gas purchased under this rate schedule shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer, unless resold as motor vehicle fuel gas, as that term is defined in Ontario Regulation 805/82. 3) Customers who temporarily discontinue service during any twelve consecutive months without payment of the monthly fixed charge for the months in which the gas is temporarily disconnected shall pay for disconnection and reconnection. 5-5

6 CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER NATURAL GAS FIRM INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE M4 Applicability To a customer who enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year, that specifies a daily contracted demand as follows: Between 4,800 m 3 and 140,870 m 3. Rate 1. Bills will be rendered monthly and shall be the total of: /m 3 i) A Monthly Demand Charge First First 8,450 m 3 of the daily contracted demand, Next 19,700 m 3 of the daily contracted demand, All m 3 over 28,150m 3 of the daily contracted demand, ii) iii) iv) A Monthly Delivery Charge First 422, 250 m3 delivered per month.4 Next volume equal to 15 days use of daily contracted demand.4 For remainder of volumes delivered in the month.4 A Storage Charge All volumes.4 A Monthly Gas Supply Rate Utility Sales Commodity & Fuel 19.0 Transportation Over-run Charge Authorized overrun gas is available provided that it is authorized by the Corporation in advance. The Corporation will not unreasonably withhold authorization. Overrun means gas taken on any day in excess of 103% of contracted daily demand. Authorized overrun will be available April 1 through October 31, and will be paid for at the rate of /m 3 for the delivery and, if applicable, a gas supply rate of 22.0 /m 3. Unauthorized overrun in any month shall be paid for at the rate of /m 3 for the delivery and total gas supply charge for system supplied volumes at the rate of 22.0 /m Minimum Annual Charge In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to 150 days use of contracted demand. Overrun gas volumes will not contribute to the minimum volume. In the event that the customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay an amount equal to the deficiency from the minimum volume times a rate of 4.5 /m 3, and if applicable, a gas supply charge of 22.0 /m 3. Effective In the event that the contract period exceeds one year, the annual minimum volume will be pro-rated for any part year. September 1, 2014 Policy Relating to Terms of Service Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer. 5-6

7 CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF KITCHENER NATURAL GAS INTERRUPTIBLE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACT RATE M5 Applicability To a Customer who: A) enters into a contract for a minimum term of one year that specifies a daily contracted demand between 4,800 m 3 and 140,870 m 3 inclusive. and, B) has an alternate fuel supply and combustion system available. Rate 1. The price of all gas delivered shall be determined on the basis of the following schedules: Monthly Fixed Charge $ and /m 3 A) Delivery Charge Daily Contracted Demand Level (CD) B) Storage Charge 4,800 m 3 < CD 17,000 m ,000 m 3 < CD 30,000 m ,000 m 3 < CD 50,000 m ,000 m 3 < CD 70,000 m ,000 m 3 < CD 100,000 m ,000 m 3 < CD 140,870 m Storage.2 C) Gas Supply Rate Utility Sales Commodity & Fuel 19.0 Transportation Over-run Charge Authorized overrun gas is available provided that it is authorized by the Corporation in advance. The Corporation will not unreasonably withhold authorization. Overrun means gas taken on any day in excess of 105% of contracted daily demand. Authorized overrun will be available April 1 through October 31, and will be paid for at the rate of /m 3 for the delivery and, if applicable, a gas supply rate of 22.0 /m 3. Unauthorized overrun in any month shall be paid for at the rate of /m 3 for the delivery and total gas supply charge for system supplied volumes at the rate of 22.0 /m Minimum Annual Charge In each contract year, the customer shall purchase from the Corporation or pay for a minimum volume of gas equivalent to 150 days use of contracted demand which will not be less than 700,000 m 3 per annum. Overrun volumes will not contribute to the minimum volume. In the event that the customer shall not take such minimum volume, the customer shall pay an amount equal to the deficiency from the minimum volume times 4.5 /m 3 for the delivery charge and if applicable, a gas supply charge of 22.0 /m 3 ). Effective September 1,

8 Policy Relating to Terms of Reference Gas purchased under this rate shall not be resold, directly or indirectly by the customer. 5-8