In my area: going with the local major supplier (previously crown corporation/publically owned) here on a flex rate makes excellent sense, esp. when the local natural gas market was opened up (to other suppliers in the region), most other suppliers were on a "closed" contract offering, with terms locked up from 5 to 10 yrs term.
All of the houses (MIL, myself, my parents) opt out of the private gas supplier deal, citing that with natural gas pricing so low, it would still be wise to stay with the market price (even though it fluctuates a bit, but the company adjusts it 3 ~4 times annually closest to the market price). Current market price is about 3.6USD/million BTU, and most of these contracts locked some 5 yrs ago were priced between 7~9.5UDS/mil BTU, so as their contracts expire and people realised that they got duped into these deals, many of them opted out and went back to the main supplier.
With 2,000sq ft and 2 young kids, My summer billing (gas +delivery, etc. for primarily the hot water heater tank) goes around 28~36CAD/mnth; winter time can go as much as 180CAD/mnth (coldest mnth of the year, typically around -2~-6C) due to infloor radiant heating and wifey insisted in setting the thermostat to 21.0C in all 3 zones.
Q.
p.s. been told by my buddy (lives in apartment with his wifey), gas cooking stove, unless you do a lot of slow-roasting or baking, typically costs an additional 20~30% more than just mere gas furnace+ water heater tank.
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