Why Are El Pasoans Paying For ‘Texas Gas Service’ Winter Storm Debacle?

Remember the massive winter storms that left millions of Texans without power and left Ted Cruz with no other choice than to fly to Cancun? It was a full-on disaster that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Texas residents.

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Texas Gas Services had initially planned to charge El Paso for the next 10 years, despite the fact that we DIDN'T get hit by the storm, we never lost power AND we’re on an entirely separate energy grid from the rest of the state.

GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS

Well, there’s some good news and some bad news. The bad news: El Pasoans are STILL going to see a hike in their gas rates for the next decade.

The good news: it looks like we’ll only have to pay a “proportionate” share.

AGREEMENT

A settlement was reached after El Paso officials successfully argued that a.) we didn’t get hit by the storm and b.) OUR energy grid never went out.

Here’s how it breaks down: originally, TGS wanted El Paso gas customers to pay the same increase as other customers in Texas. For the average El Paso household that would have been on the hook for an additional $4.33 per month. Over the course of a decade, that would average out to $520 to cover the costs of the winter storm that we didn’t get and the failure of a power grid that we don’t use.

The settlement would have the average El Paso household paying $5.22 per month but only for THREE years, for a total of $188.  The El Paso Herald-Post reports that the settlement still has to be approved by the Texas Railroad Commission. But, if it is approved, the average El Pasoan will save about $440. Your city government…working for YOU!