Information for end-use customers in Minnesota
CenterPoint Energy's Transportation Services provides end-use commercial and industrial natural gas customers on CenterPoint Energy's distribution system with access to competitive natural gas suppliers. When not using Transportation Services, an end-use customer pays the regulated rate of the natural gas supply used by CenterPoint Energy to serve it sales customers.
Transportation Services provides the end-use customers with the freedom to select the supplier and pricing structure best able to meet their supply needs and rate expectations. It is important to note that a qualified end-use customer is not required to use Transportation Services. For those end-use customers who decline this choice, CenterPoint Energy will continue to provide, safe reliable natural gas sales service to a customer's facility.
Natural Gas Delivery
Suppliers coordinate with CenterPoint Energy on the delivery of the appropriate amounts of natural gas to the appropriate town border station on the CenterPoint Energy distribution system, and CenterPoint Energy transports the natural gas to the end-use customer's meter. A participating end-use customer can either pay their transportation bill directly to CenterPoint Energy or can have their bill forwarded to their supplier who may then bundle the supply, upstream pipeline, and distribution charges into one bill.
Qualifying for Transportation Services in Minnesota
Commercial and industrial customers that use less than 2,000 therms on their peak day of consumption qualify for CenterPoint Energy's Small Volume Transportation Service and may choose either firm, firm/interruptible, or interruptible transportation service.
Commercial and industrial customers that use 2,000 therms or more on their peak day of consumption qualify for CenterPoint Energy's Large Volume Transportation Service and may choose either firm, firm/interruptible, or interruptible transportation service.
Firm transportation service applies to customers that require a supply of natural gas at all times. These customers would not have any kind of back-up, alternative fueling system that would be used in the event of a supply interruption. CenterPoint Energy's firm transportation service requires a minimum service term of one year, can be renewed from year to year, and requires 30 days' notice to terminate.
Firm/interruptible service applies to customers that require a base level supply of firm gas volumes, supplemented by interruptible gas volumes. These customers may have a back-up, alternative fueling system for the supplemented interruptible volumes, that would be used in the event of a supply or delivery interruption. Alternatively, a customer that chooses firm/interruptible service may instead reduce their supplemented gas volumes down to their base level supply of firm volumes when requested to do so by CenterPoint Energy. This firm/interruptible type of transportation service requires the customer to elect a base level of daily firm service on or before September 1 of each year, enter into a firm/interruptible transportation agreement for a minimum service term of one year, and provide 30 days’ written notice to terminate.
Dual Fuel (Interruptible) transportation service applies to customers that have a back-up, alternative fueling system that would be used in the event of a supply or delivery interruption. Alternatively, a customer that chooses interruptible transportation service can operate under CenterPoint Energy's Process Interruptible Rider which requires them to stop using gas completely when requested to do so by CenterPoint Energy. This interruptible type of transportation service requires an interruptible sales agreement, an interruptible transportation agreement and, if applicable, a process interruptible agreement. Both sales and transportation agreements are required because the customer is allowed to choose which service it requires on a monthly basis.
Minnesota Rate Schedules:
Small Volume Firm Transportation (Peak Day < 2,000 Therms) |
Monthly Basic Charge |
Less than 1,500 therms | $115.00 |
Equal to or greater than 1,500 therms and less than 5,000 therms | $126.00 |
Greater than or equal to 5,000 therms | $165.00
|
Delivery Charge per therm |
Less than 1,500 therms | $0.38
|
Equal to or greater than 1,500 therms and less than 5,000 therms | $0.24
|
Greater than or equal to 5,000 therms | $0.18
|
Small Volume Firm/Interruptible Transportation |
Monthly Basic Charge |
Less than 120,000 therms | $180.00
|
Equal to or greater than 120,000 | $225.00
|
Delivery Charge per therm |
Less than 120,000 annually |
Firm Volumes | $0.18 |
Interruptible Volumes | $0.17
|
Equal to or greater than 120,000 therms |
Firm Volumes | $0.18
|
Interruptible Volumes | $0.15
|
Small Volume Dual Fuel (Interruptible) Transportation |
Monthly Basic Charge |
Less than 120,000 therms annually | $180.00
|
Equal to or greater than 120,000 therms annually | $225.00
|
Delivery Charge per therm |
Less than 120,000 annually | $0.17
|
Equal to or greater than 120,000 therms annually | $0.15
|
Large Volume Firm Transportation (Peak Day ≥ 2,000 Therms) |
Monthly Basic Charge | $1,350.00
|
Demand Delivery Charge (per unit of peak day demand) | $0.63
|
Delivery Charge per therm | $0.09
|
Large Volume Firm/Interruptible Transportation |
Monthly Basic Charge | $1,350.00 |
Delivery Charge per therm |
Demand Delivery Charge (per unit of peak demand) | $0.63
|
Firm Volumes | $0.09
|
Interruptible Volumes | $0.09
|
Large Volume Dual Fuel (Interruptible) Transportation |
Monthly Basic Charge | $1,350.00
|
Delivery Charge per therm | $0.09
|
Getting Started in Minnesota
A new transportation agreement must be signed and submitted by the customer or their agent to CenterPoint Energy at least 30 days' prior to the anticipated start date of transportation services.
Additional information and required documents can be found under "Useful Information." For more information, contact
TransportationServices@CenterPointEnergy.com.
Transportation Services in Minnesota