October 12, 2022
Prepare your natural gas budget for winter
Did you know: 95% of our customers were not impacted by Winter Storm Uri inFebruary 2021?
That's right – 95%.
While millions of natural gas customers were faced with extreme rate spikes due to the winter storm that crippled the South, the vast majority of WoodRiver Energy customers saw no impact on their monthly gas bills.
Read on to learn how these customers protected themselves upfront, and how understanding common industry terminology can help ensure you get the budget protection you want.
Partial Requirements = Partial Protection from Extreme Market Events
Most utilities only offer savings plans that cover a portion of your usage based on your historical average, what is often referred to as Partial Requirements.
When your contract is based on partial requirements, only a portion of your usage is covered under the protection umbrella. Any usage above the predetermined levels is exposed to the current market rates.
“Winter Storm Uri exposed the problem with partial requirements,” says Don Krattenmaker, COO of WoodRiver Energy, who has more than 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. “There was an exposure to a daily market that went from $3 to $4 in some cases. When you were expecting a very low gas bill, and all of a sudden, your bill was 4 years of your gas bill in one event.”
As with anything, there are some cases where partial requirements deals do make sense for customers, particularly those who have the ability to control their usage.
“Partial requirements make sense for customers who have interruptible gas flow,” says Don Krattenmaker. “For instance, if you can control your gas load by shutting down or if you've installed a backup system, then a partial requirements program is the better deal for you.”
“However, most customers cannot control their gas load,” he adds, “which leaves them exposed to market volatility.”
Guaranteed Full Requirements = Complete Coverage for 100% of Usage
Now let's go back to the opening paragraph.
Why weren't 95% of our customers impacted by Winter Storm Uri?
Because at WoodRiver Energy we offer pricing plans that cover ALL of your natural gas usage, what we refer to as Guaranteed Full Requirements.
“When we say Full Requirements, we mean all your gas at one price,” says Krattenmaker. “It means that you get all your gas at one rate; it doesn't matter how much you use. We call that a true full requirement – price and consumption.”
“We offer different types of products within full requirements – it can be a fixed price, a variable rate, even a guaranteed savings plan,” he adds.
This provides you with complete budget protection no matter what type of plan you choose.
"If you can't control your gas load, buy out as long as you possibly can with fixed price full requirements."
Know What You’re Getting
It’s important to note that not all “full requirements” are created equal. Other suppliers may reference full requirements, but its critical to understand what you’re really signing up for. Often the savings rate is only for a portion of your usage, and that is not a true full requirements deal.
With WoodRiver Energy Guaranteed Full Requirements, you can choose to enroll up to 100% of your usage into your savings plan, ensuring that any overages don't break the bank.
Traditionally this had only been offered through Choice programs, but at WoodRiver Energy we are committed to providing cost-effective energy solutions to businesses. “We saw the value this brought to the market, to our customers, and figured out a way we could offer this same type of product to a traditional commercial customer.”
Getting the Results You Want
At WoodRiver Energy, our goal is to find the best solution that fits your business and your budget. As you consider your options, we encourage you to ask questions and learn what you’re really being offered.
“If you can control your gas load, take partial requirements,” Krattenmaker advises. “If you can't, buy out as long as you possibly can at fixed price full requirements. The entities that are really jumping on this are our school districts. They're the industries that have seen the greatest benefit from this – schools, colleges and private institutions.”
If you’d like to learn more about Guaranteed Full Requirements or any of our natural gas programs, click here or contact your sales representative today.
Don Krattenmaker has 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. Most recently, he led a sales office of 25 people marketing gas in the Rocky Mountain and upper Midwest states. At WoodRiver Energy, Don leads the company’s business development efforts and supports the company’s ongoing sales and marketing efforts.
Market Data:
October 12, 2022
October 12, 2022
Prepare your natural gas budget for winter
Did you know: 95% of our customers were not impacted by Winter Storm Uri inFebruary 2021?
That's right – 95%.
While millions of natural gas customers were faced with extreme rate spikes due to the winter storm that crippled the South, the vast majority of WoodRiver Energy customers saw no impact on their monthly gas bills.
Read on to learn how these customers protected themselves upfront, and how understanding common industry terminology can help ensure you get the budget protection you want.
Partial Requirements = Partial Protection from Extreme Market Events
Most utilities only offer savings plans that cover a portion of your usage based on your historical average, what is often referred to as Partial Requirements.
When your contract is based on partial requirements, only a portion of your usage is covered under the protection umbrella. Any usage above the predetermined levels is exposed to the current market rates.
“Winter Storm Uri exposed the problem with partial requirements,” says Don Krattenmaker, COO of WoodRiver Energy, who has more than 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. “There was an exposure to a daily market that went from $3 to $4 in some cases. When you were expecting a very low gas bill, and all of a sudden, your bill was 4 years of your gas bill in one event.”
As with anything, there are some cases where partial requirements deals do make sense for customers, particularly those who have the ability to control their usage.
“Partial requirements make sense for customers who have interruptible gas flow,” says Don Krattenmaker. “For instance, if you can control your gas load by shutting down or if you've installed a backup system, then a partial requirements program is the better deal for you.”
“However, most customers cannot control their gas load,” he adds, “which leaves them exposed to market volatility.”
Guaranteed Full Requirements = Complete Coverage for 100% of Usage
Now let's go back to the opening paragraph.
Why weren't 95% of our customers impacted by Winter Storm Uri?
Because at WoodRiver Energy we offer pricing plans that cover ALL of your natural gas usage, what we refer to as Guaranteed Full Requirements.
“When we say Full Requirements, we mean all your gas at one price,” says Krattenmaker. “It means that you get all your gas at one rate; it doesn't matter how much you use. We call that a true full requirement – price and consumption.”
“We offer different types of products within full requirements – it can be a fixed price, a variable rate, even a guaranteed savings plan,” he adds.
This provides you with complete budget protection no matter what type of plan you choose.
"If you can't control your gas load, buy out as long as you possibly can with fixed price full requirements."
Know What You’re Getting
It’s important to note that not all “full requirements” are created equal. Other suppliers may reference full requirements, but its critical to understand what you’re really signing up for. Often the savings rate is only for a portion of your usage, and that is not a true full requirements deal.
With WoodRiver Energy Guaranteed Full Requirements, you can choose to enroll up to 100% of your usage into your savings plan, ensuring that any overages don't break the bank.
Traditionally this had only been offered through Choice programs, but at WoodRiver Energy we are committed to providing cost-effective energy solutions to businesses. “We saw the value this brought to the market, to our customers, and figured out a way we could offer this same type of product to a traditional commercial customer.”
Getting the Results You Want
At WoodRiver Energy, our goal is to find the best solution that fits your business and your budget. As you consider your options, we encourage you to ask questions and learn what you’re really being offered.
“If you can control your gas load, take partial requirements,” Krattenmaker advises. “If you can't, buy out as long as you possibly can at fixed price full requirements. The entities that are really jumping on this are our school districts. They're the industries that have seen the greatest benefit from this – schools, colleges and private institutions.”
If you’d like to learn more about Guaranteed Full Requirements or any of our natural gas programs, click here or contact your sales representative today.
Don Krattenmaker has 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. Most recently, he led a sales office of 25 people marketing gas in the Rocky Mountain and upper Midwest states. At WoodRiver Energy, Don leads the company’s business development efforts and supports the company’s ongoing sales and marketing efforts.
October 12, 2022
Prepare your natural gas budget for winter
Did you know: 95% of our customers were not impacted by Winter Storm Uri inFebruary 2021?
That's right – 95%.
While millions of natural gas customers were faced with extreme rate spikes due to the winter storm that crippled the South, the vast majority of WoodRiver Energy customers saw no impact on their monthly gas bills.
Read on to learn how these customers protected themselves upfront, and how understanding common industry terminology can help ensure you get the budget protection you want.
Partial Requirements = Partial Protection from Extreme Market Events
Most utilities only offer savings plans that cover a portion of your usage based on your historical average, what is often referred to as Partial Requirements.
When your contract is based on partial requirements, only a portion of your usage is covered under the protection umbrella. Any usage above the predetermined levels is exposed to the current market rates.
“Winter Storm Uri exposed the problem with partial requirements,” says Don Krattenmaker, COO of WoodRiver Energy, who has more than 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. “There was an exposure to a daily market that went from $3 to $4 in some cases. When you were expecting a very low gas bill, and all of a sudden, your bill was 4 years of your gas bill in one event.”
As with anything, there are some cases where partial requirements deals do make sense for customers, particularly those who have the ability to control their usage.
“Partial requirements make sense for customers who have interruptible gas flow,” says Don Krattenmaker. “For instance, if you can control your gas load by shutting down or if you've installed a backup system, then a partial requirements program is the better deal for you.”
“However, most customers cannot control their gas load,” he adds, “which leaves them exposed to market volatility.”
Guaranteed Full Requirements = Complete Coverage for 100% of Usage
Now let's go back to the opening paragraph.
Why weren't 95% of our customers impacted by Winter Storm Uri?
Because at WoodRiver Energy we offer pricing plans that cover ALL of your natural gas usage, what we refer to as Guaranteed Full Requirements.
“When we say Full Requirements, we mean all your gas at one price,” says Krattenmaker. “It means that you get all your gas at one rate; it doesn't matter how much you use. We call that a true full requirement – price and consumption.”
“We offer different types of products within full requirements – it can be a fixed price, a variable rate, even a guaranteed savings plan,” he adds.
This provides you with complete budget protection no matter what type of plan you choose.
"If you can't control your gas load, buy out as long as you possibly can with fixed price full requirements."
Know What You’re Getting
It’s important to note that not all “full requirements” are created equal. Other suppliers may reference full requirements, but its critical to understand what you’re really signing up for. Often the savings rate is only for a portion of your usage, and that is not a true full requirements deal.
With WoodRiver Energy Guaranteed Full Requirements, you can choose to enroll up to 100% of your usage into your savings plan, ensuring that any overages don't break the bank.
Traditionally this had only been offered through Choice programs, but at WoodRiver Energy we are committed to providing cost-effective energy solutions to businesses. “We saw the value this brought to the market, to our customers, and figured out a way we could offer this same type of product to a traditional commercial customer.”
Getting the Results You Want
At WoodRiver Energy, our goal is to find the best solution that fits your business and your budget. As you consider your options, we encourage you to ask questions and learn what you’re really being offered.
“If you can control your gas load, take partial requirements,” Krattenmaker advises. “If you can't, buy out as long as you possibly can at fixed price full requirements. The entities that are really jumping on this are our school districts. They're the industries that have seen the greatest benefit from this – schools, colleges and private institutions.”
If you’d like to learn more about Guaranteed Full Requirements or any of our natural gas programs, click here or contact your sales representative today.
Don Krattenmaker has 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. Most recently, he led a sales office of 25 people marketing gas in the Rocky Mountain and upper Midwest states. At WoodRiver Energy, Don leads the company’s business development efforts and supports the company’s ongoing sales and marketing efforts.
October 12, 2022
Prepare your natural gas budget for winter
Did you know: 95% of our customers were not impacted by Winter Storm Uri inFebruary 2021?
That's right – 95%.
While millions of natural gas customers were faced with extreme rate spikes due to the winter storm that crippled the South, the vast majority of WoodRiver Energy customers saw no impact on their monthly gas bills.
Read on to learn how these customers protected themselves upfront, and how understanding common industry terminology can help ensure you get the budget protection you want.
Partial Requirements = Partial Protection from Extreme Market Events
Most utilities only offer savings plans that cover a portion of your usage based on your historical average, what is often referred to as Partial Requirements.
When your contract is based on partial requirements, only a portion of your usage is covered under the protection umbrella. Any usage above the predetermined levels is exposed to the current market rates.
“Winter Storm Uri exposed the problem with partial requirements,” says Don Krattenmaker, COO of WoodRiver Energy, who has more than 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. “There was an exposure to a daily market that went from $3 to $4 in some cases. When you were expecting a very low gas bill, and all of a sudden, your bill was 4 years of your gas bill in one event.”
As with anything, there are some cases where partial requirements deals do make sense for customers, particularly those who have the ability to control their usage.
“Partial requirements make sense for customers who have interruptible gas flow,” says Don Krattenmaker. “For instance, if you can control your gas load by shutting down or if you've installed a backup system, then a partial requirements program is the better deal for you.”
“However, most customers cannot control their gas load,” he adds, “which leaves them exposed to market volatility.”
Guaranteed Full Requirements = Complete Coverage for 100% of Usage
Now let's go back to the opening paragraph.
Why weren't 95% of our customers impacted by Winter Storm Uri?
Because at WoodRiver Energy we offer pricing plans that cover ALL of your natural gas usage, what we refer to as Guaranteed Full Requirements.
“When we say Full Requirements, we mean all your gas at one price,” says Krattenmaker. “It means that you get all your gas at one rate; it doesn't matter how much you use. We call that a true full requirement – price and consumption.”
“We offer different types of products within full requirements – it can be a fixed price, a variable rate, even a guaranteed savings plan,” he adds.
This provides you with complete budget protection no matter what type of plan you choose.
"If you can't control your gas load, buy out as long as you possibly can with fixed price full requirements."
Know What You’re Getting
It’s important to note that not all “full requirements” are created equal. Other suppliers may reference full requirements, but its critical to understand what you’re really signing up for. Often the savings rate is only for a portion of your usage, and that is not a true full requirements deal.
With WoodRiver Energy Guaranteed Full Requirements, you can choose to enroll up to 100% of your usage into your savings plan, ensuring that any overages don't break the bank.
Traditionally this had only been offered through Choice programs, but at WoodRiver Energy we are committed to providing cost-effective energy solutions to businesses. “We saw the value this brought to the market, to our customers, and figured out a way we could offer this same type of product to a traditional commercial customer.”
Getting the Results You Want
At WoodRiver Energy, our goal is to find the best solution that fits your business and your budget. As you consider your options, we encourage you to ask questions and learn what you’re really being offered.
“If you can control your gas load, take partial requirements,” Krattenmaker advises. “If you can't, buy out as long as you possibly can at fixed price full requirements. The entities that are really jumping on this are our school districts. They're the industries that have seen the greatest benefit from this – schools, colleges and private institutions.”
If you’d like to learn more about Guaranteed Full Requirements or any of our natural gas programs, click here or contact your sales representative today.
Don Krattenmaker has 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. Most recently, he led a sales office of 25 people marketing gas in the Rocky Mountain and upper Midwest states. At WoodRiver Energy, Don leads the company’s business development efforts and supports the company’s ongoing sales and marketing efforts.
October 12, 2022
Prepare your natural gas budget for winter
Did you know: 95% of our customers were not impacted by Winter Storm Uri inFebruary 2021?
That's right – 95%.
While millions of natural gas customers were faced with extreme rate spikes due to the winter storm that crippled the South, the vast majority of WoodRiver Energy customers saw no impact on their monthly gas bills.
Read on to learn how these customers protected themselves upfront, and how understanding common industry terminology can help ensure you get the budget protection you want.
Partial Requirements = Partial Protection from Extreme Market Events
Most utilities only offer savings plans that cover a portion of your usage based on your historical average, what is often referred to as Partial Requirements.
When your contract is based on partial requirements, only a portion of your usage is covered under the protection umbrella. Any usage above the predetermined levels is exposed to the current market rates.
“Winter Storm Uri exposed the problem with partial requirements,” says Don Krattenmaker, COO of WoodRiver Energy, who has more than 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. “There was an exposure to a daily market that went from $3 to $4 in some cases. When you were expecting a very low gas bill, and all of a sudden, your bill was 4 years of your gas bill in one event.”
As with anything, there are some cases where partial requirements deals do make sense for customers, particularly those who have the ability to control their usage.
“Partial requirements make sense for customers who have interruptible gas flow,” says Don Krattenmaker. “For instance, if you can control your gas load by shutting down or if you've installed a backup system, then a partial requirements program is the better deal for you.”
“However, most customers cannot control their gas load,” he adds, “which leaves them exposed to market volatility.”
Guaranteed Full Requirements = Complete Coverage for 100% of Usage
Now let's go back to the opening paragraph.
Why weren't 95% of our customers impacted by Winter Storm Uri?
Because at WoodRiver Energy we offer pricing plans that cover ALL of your natural gas usage, what we refer to as Guaranteed Full Requirements.
“When we say Full Requirements, we mean all your gas at one price,” says Krattenmaker. “It means that you get all your gas at one rate; it doesn't matter how much you use. We call that a true full requirement – price and consumption.”
“We offer different types of products within full requirements – it can be a fixed price, a variable rate, even a guaranteed savings plan,” he adds.
This provides you with complete budget protection no matter what type of plan you choose.
"If you can't control your gas load, buy out as long as you possibly can with fixed price full requirements."
Know What You’re Getting
It’s important to note that not all “full requirements” are created equal. Other suppliers may reference full requirements, but its critical to understand what you’re really signing up for. Often the savings rate is only for a portion of your usage, and that is not a true full requirements deal.
With WoodRiver Energy Guaranteed Full Requirements, you can choose to enroll up to 100% of your usage into your savings plan, ensuring that any overages don't break the bank.
Traditionally this had only been offered through Choice programs, but at WoodRiver Energy we are committed to providing cost-effective energy solutions to businesses. “We saw the value this brought to the market, to our customers, and figured out a way we could offer this same type of product to a traditional commercial customer.”
Getting the Results You Want
At WoodRiver Energy, our goal is to find the best solution that fits your business and your budget. As you consider your options, we encourage you to ask questions and learn what you’re really being offered.
“If you can control your gas load, take partial requirements,” Krattenmaker advises. “If you can't, buy out as long as you possibly can at fixed price full requirements. The entities that are really jumping on this are our school districts. They're the industries that have seen the greatest benefit from this – schools, colleges and private institutions.”
If you’d like to learn more about Guaranteed Full Requirements or any of our natural gas programs, click here or contact your sales representative today.
Don Krattenmaker has 20 years of experience in trading and selling natural gas. Most recently, he led a sales office of 25 people marketing gas in the Rocky Mountain and upper Midwest states. At WoodRiver Energy, Don leads the company’s business development efforts and supports the company’s ongoing sales and marketing efforts.
Enroll in Choice Gas with Three Easy Steps
Click here to access our online Choice tool, or call our Choice gas experts at 1 (877) 790-4990.
Step 1: Enter your account number
- Your Black Hills Energy account number is located at the top right-hand corner of your bill.
Step 2: Review price offers and make your selection
Step 3: Confirm your selection and enter your control number
- You received a control number in your 2024 Choice Gas customer letter mailed to you from Black Hills Energy. If you cannot locate this, you will need to retrieve your control number by calling 877-245-3506 or visit choicegas.com
Once enrolled, you will be removed from marketing communications from other suppliers during the current enrollment period.
