Residential Gas Utility Services

Residential Gas Service

This rate is available to any customer for the Company’s standard service for residential purposes. Where a residence and a business are combined in one premise, the service classification shall be treated as commercial, and will not be furnished under this rate.

New Applicant

If you have never been a gas customer with MCPU, we will ask you to come to the office at 316 N. Market Street to complete an application for service. All applicants must be age 18 or over and will be asked to provide up to two forms of identification when submitting the application for service.  Information given to Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. on the application must be accurate and verifiable.  Notification of approval or rejection of an application will be made within two days after receiving all required information.

If you are unable to physically come to our office, please call us at (618) 262-5151 or Toll Free 1-877-262-7036 and we will make reasonable accommodations so that you may complete the application for service.

Acceptable Forms of Identification
New applicants for service are required to provide up to two forms of proper identification to connect service. At the time of the application, you will need a current and valid driver’s license or State issued I.D. card.  Applicants may be asked to provide one other form of identification, including but not limited to any of the following: 

  • a second government issued photo ID; 
  • Social Security number; 
  • Driver's license number; 
  • Birth certificate; 
  • Immigration and/or naturalization documents; 
  • Student identification; 
  • Banking information; 
  • Employment records; 
  • Government benefits/compensation records; 
  • Tax ID number; 
  • Articles of incorporation;
  • or Business license.  


Additional Information required
You also need to provide the following information when applying for service: 

  • Service address; 
  • Mailing address if different from the service address; 
  • Applicant's preferred method of contact; 
  • Telephone number; 
  • Email address (optional);
  • and contact information for property owner/manager if premises are rental.


Privacy
If there is more than one adult over the age of 18 living in the residence and who will be responsible for the account, each applicant for service may be required to provide identification. Only persons who have signed the application for service, or someone designated in writing, will be allowed access to account information.
Third party applications may be made only by persons who have been authorized to act on behalf of the applicant, and Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. must verify this authorization either by documentation or by direct contact with the applicant.

Deposits
New applicants for service are not required to make a deposit for connection of service if:

  • You have never had service with MCPU
  • You are a returning customer with a good payment record with MCPU

Former Gas Utility Customer

If you have been a gas customer in the past, you may not need to visit our office to establish service. You may call (618) 262-5151 or Toll Free 1-877-262-7036 to verify that we have the information we need to reinstate you as a customer in our service territory.

Identification
You may not be required to visit our office to establish a new account if:


Privacy
If there is more than one adult over the age of 18 living in the residence and who will be responsible for the account, each applicant for service may be required to provide identification. Only persons who have signed the application for service, or someone designated in writing, will be allowed access to account information.

Third party applications may be made only by persons who have been authorized to act on behalf of the applicant, and Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. must verify this authorization either by documentation or by direct contact with the applicant.

Deposits
The Company may require an applicant for service to make a deposit with the Company.

The requirement of a deposit and the amount needed to connect service are determined in compliance with IL Admin Code Part 280 and equal two times the average monthly gas bill at the location to be connected.

Deposits earn interest while they are held by the utility company. The interest rate is established annually by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Interest will be credited to your account at the deposit anniversary date.

Deposits are refunded in full when the account has a satisfactory payment history during any 12-month period.

New Home Construction

As you plan the design and construction of your new home, we understand there are many decisions to make. Among them is the decision about what heat source you will use. Our Service Department has years of experience assisting homeowners with determining the costs associated with natural gas and electric heating sources. Call us at (618) 262-5151 or Toll Free 1-877-262-7036 and we will set up a time to meet with you and provide you with assistance.

Purchased Gas Adjustment Charge (PGA)

In addition to the standard rates, your bill will include a Purchased Gas Adjustment Charge (PGA) each month. The incremental cost per therm is calculated each month based on the cost of purchased natural gas and its transportation to the Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. gas distribution system. Only the costs associated with customer use are included in the calculation of the monthly PGA.

The PGA for the current month is $0.8331.

Historical PGA ($ per therm)

 202420232022202120202019
January$0.3978$0.8913$0.6161$0.3788$0.3661$0.5123
February$0.5124$0.7344$0.4341$0.3427$0.2273
$0.3672
March$0.7987$0.4168$0.6843$0.3638$0.2175$0.3231
April$0.2849$0.2602$0.5993$0.3805$0.1373$0.2095
May$0.1542$0.1412$0.5016$0.2183$0.1305$0.2051
June$0.2538$0.1356$0.6127$0.3230$0.1608$0.2004
July$0.3569$0.2237$0.8174$0.4618$0.2887$0.2873
August$0.3505$0.2631$0.8985$0.5350$0.2368$0.3426
September$0.4957$0.4749$0.8877$0.5987$0.3832$0.3563
October$0.8331$0.5307$1.3039$1.0075$0.6599$0.5358
November $0.7371$1.2748$0.9419$0.6822$0.7060
December $0.5882$0.8994$0.7972
$0.5229$0.5292

Excess Flow Valve Notification for Customers

As required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. (MCPU) is hereby notified that an excess flow valve ("EFV") which meets the minimum DOT performance standards is available for installation on your natural gas service line.  Please note that such a device is not required for the normal, safe operation of your service line, but could help to mitigate the consequences of a service line failure (i.e. break, rupture, etc.).

Safety Benefits

An EFV is a safety device that is designed to automatically stop the flow of natural gas when (if) the flow of gas through the device exceeds a pre-determined rate.  The device is normally installed at (near) the service line's connection to the gas distribution main, and protects against the uncontrolled escape of natural gas should the downstream line be broken/severed.  It should be noted that these devices generally do not protect against slow leaks such as those caused by corrosion, loose fittings, or leaks beyond the gas meter (house piping).

The use of EFVs has been primarily precipitated by service line incidents caused by accidental digging by excavators.  Such incidents account for about 1/3 of the natural gas pipeline incidents in the United States.  While the use of an EFV may help to limit the effects/damages of such an incident, the best prevention against such incidents is to ensure that those who may have reason to be excavating on your property to call 811.

Installation of an EFV

  • An EFV will be installed in your new, or replacement, natural gas service line if these requirements are met:

a. The service line operates at a pressure of 10 psig or greater throughout the year and the meter(s) have a capacity of 1,000 cfh or less;

b. MCPU has no prior experience with contaminants in the gas stream that could interfere with the EFV’s operation or cause loss of service to a customer;

c. An EFV would not interfere with necessary operation or maintenance activities, such as blowing liquids from the line; or

d. An EFV meeting the required Code of Federal Regulations performance standards is commercially available to MCPU.

e. The installation cost will be included in your estimate for gas service when made.

  • If you would like to have an EFV installed in an existing natural gas service line, the average cost is $500.00, but the actual installation cost will depend on the difficulty of installation.   The actual cost of the installation of an EFV will be the responsibility of the customer requesting the EFV.  We will inform you of the actual cost before you make the final decision that you want an EFV.
  • EFVs cannot be installed on some service lines due to high gas flow, low pressure or other factors. If you request an EFV but your service line cannot accommodate an EFV we will let you know.
  • If it becomes necessary to replace the EFV on your service line due to the customer’s addition or upgrading of gas appliances, for example, a pool heater, emergency generator, cooking ranges, hot water heaters, etc. you will be billed for the cost of installing a new or replacement EFV.
  • As with any mechanical device, an EFV may malfunction, thereby causing a temporary loss of natural gas service.  Should such a malfunction occur MCPU will replace the EFV at no cost to the customer.  Industry experience is that EFVs rarely malfunction.
  • If you request an EFV to be installed that meet the conditions, we will install an EFV at a mutually agreeable date.

Questions may be addressed to Mt. Carmel Public Utility Co. at (618)262-5151.

Excess Flow Valve Notification for Customers

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