As we enter the heating season in the US the amount of natural gas in storage is lower than we’ve seen in about a decade. In last weeks report the Energy Information Agency reported a net injection of 90 BCF. This brings the total stock to 2,956 BCF which is 17% lower than last year at this time and the 5 year average.
So what does this mean for commercial electricity prices? It means that you should no longer take low volatility and a sideways market for granted. There is a significantly higher likelihood that we will continue to see electricity prices trending higher versus lower for the foreseeable future. Businesses with contracts expiring any time in the next 18 to 24 months should be carefully examining options and consider locking in while we’re still near historic lows.