Direct Energy Regulated Services has set the default natural gas rate for July 2026 at $1.595 per GJ, a decrease from the June rate of $2.076 per GJ. These rates apply to customers within the ATCO Gas North and South service territories who have not selected a competitive supplier. The calculation method for these rates has been verified by the Alberta Utilities Commission.

The July rate reflects a market price of approximately $1.667 per GJ for July supplies, as reported by NGX. This figure incorporates an adjustment of $-0.072 per GJ accounting for June and prior months. The reduction in the regulated rate provides relief to consumers compared to the previous month's charges.

Impact on Residential Consumers

The financial impact on consumers varies by geographic location due to differences in transmission and distribution service provider (TDSP) charges levied by ATCO Gas. The North territory includes customers living in and north of the City of Red Deer, while the South territory includes those living south of Red Deer.

Based on an average consumption of 2 GJ, the typical residential gas bill for July is approximately $65 in the North territory. In the South territory, the typical bill for the same consumption level is approximately $51. These variances are strictly due to the differing TDSP charges applied in each region.

U.S. natural gas inventories are expected to rise by 74 Bcf in the weekly storage report to be released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday. The EIA's weekly natural gas storage report is a closely watched indicator that provides insight into the supply-demand balance of the U.S. natural gas market.

EIA Storage Report Expectations

The anticipated inventory build is summarized below:

The EIA publishes its natural gas storage report on a weekly basis, offering market participants a key data point to assess the state of U.S. natural gas supply levels. An inventory build of 74 Bcf reflects the expected net injection into underground storage facilities during the reported period.

Market Significance

The weekly EIA natural gas storage report is widely referenced by traders, analysts, and energy market stakeholders. Key aspects of the report include:

• Storage levels indicate whether supply is keeping pace with demand
• Weekly injections or withdrawals are compared against historical averages to gauge market tightness
• Bcf (billion cubic feet) is the standard unit used to measure natural gas storage volumes

The expected rise of 74 Bcf in inventories will be confirmed upon the official release of the EIA report on Thursday.