What is a curtailment?
A curtailment is the reduction of gas deliveries due to a
shortage of supply or because demand for service exceeds a
pipeline's capacity. Usually there is a hierarchy of customers,
in which some may be required to partially or totally cut back
takes of gas before others. Industrial users, for example, are
usually curtailed before service to residential users is
reduced.
For our customers who choose interruptible transportation,
Dominion Energy Gas Marketing issues a curtailment order when
service has to be interrupted. This means energy reserves have
dropped or are expected to drop below a certain level. The
curtailment order signals that rotating outages are going to
occur.
Most customers with alternative fuel sources (#2 oil, #6 oil,
waste oil, coal and others) choose interruptible service for the
majority of their energy load. However, customers agreeing to
interruptible service must comply with curtailment orders or pay
noncompliance fees.
Interruptible customers are curtailed in order of priority to
ensure firm deliveries are met. Residential customers, small
general service rate customers and other end users holding firm
transportation contracts will not be curtailed.
For more information about the pros and cons of being an
interruptible customer, contact an
account representative
or call us at
800-472-1051. We'll
be glad to help you.