Spire Alabama Rate Selection Guide
Spire Alabama (formerly Alagasco) is the natural gas distribution utility serving roughly 200,000 customers across central and northern Alabama, regulated by the Alabama Public Service Commission. Data access centers on the Spire MyAccount portal; the utility does not support Green Button, ESPI, or a public API, and third-party access is handled through manual authorization.
Spire Alabama Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Commercial / General Service | commercial | Customer charge + volumetric distribution + GSA (see tariff) | Small businesses, offices, light commercial gas use |
| Large Commercial / Industrial | industrial | Higher customer charge + large-volume distribution + GSA (see tariff) | Manufacturing, large facilities on bundled service |
| Transportation Service | industrial | Distribution/transportation charges only (see tariff) | Customers procuring their own gas supply |
| Interruptible / Large Volume | industrial | Reduced volumetric rate with curtailment (see tariff) | Large loads that can tolerate interruption |
Market Overview
Spire Alabama is an investor-owned gas distribution utility regulated by the Alabama Public Service Commission. There is no competitive retail gas market; rates are governed by the RSE plan plus the Gas Supply Adjustment and Real-Time Temperature Adjustment. C&I customers can choose between sales and transportation service and among rate schedules, but cannot switch local distribution providers.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Spire Alabama Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Spire Alabama's C&I gas rates are set by the APSC and published in the Spire Alabama tariff. Exact per-therm and customer-charge figures were not verifiable from a single authoritative source at research time, so the schedules below are described qualitatively by structure and customer class; consult the current tariff for billed amounts. Bills combine a fixed customer charge, a volumetric distribution (margin) charge, the dollar-for-dollar Gas Supply Adjustment (GSA), and a Real-Time Temperature Adjustment.
Effective: December 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Commercial / General Service (Sales) | commercial | Smaller commercial customers taking bundled (sales) gas service. | Fixed monthly customer charge plus a volumetric distribution charge per therm/CCF, with the Gas Supply Adjustment and Real-Time Temperature Adjustment added. See the Spire Alabama tariff for current amounts. | — |
| Large Commercial / Industrial (Sales) | industrial | Larger commercial and industrial customers taking bundled sales service. | Higher fixed customer charge with declining-block or large-volume distribution rates per therm, plus GSA and temperature adjustment. Exact figures per the current tariff. | — |
| Transportation Service (C&I) | industrial | C&I customers that procure their own gas supply and pay Spire only to transport it on its distribution system. | Distribution/transportation charges (customer + volumetric) without the commodity cost; customer arranges supply separately. See tariff for transportation rate terms. | — |
| Interruptible / Large Volume Service | industrial | Large-volume customers able to accept interruptible service for lower rates. | Reduced volumetric rates in exchange for curtailment rights during peak demand; terms and eligibility per the current Spire Alabama tariff. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial gas (offices, retail, restaurants)
Use MyAccount for monthly usage tracking and confirm the small commercial / general service schedule fits your volume.
Smaller loads are typically cheapest on bundled general service; with no supplier choice, the controllable levers are usage and verifying schedule fit. Exact rates are in the Spire Alabama tariff.
- Enroll in paperless billing for easy statement access
- Track monthly usage charts for seasonal swings
Large commercial / industrial (bundled)
Engage a Large C&I Account Representative to confirm the large C&I schedule and request custom usage reporting.
Large bundled customers benefit from rep-supported analysis and may have declining-block distribution rates; the rep can also flag transportation or interruptible eligibility.
- Request custom data reports for benchmarking
- Ask about declining-block and demand-related provisions
- Review the tariff at each December 1 RSE update
Large-volume customer procuring own gas
Evaluate transportation service to unbundle commodity from distribution.
Customers with the scale and capability to buy their own gas supply can pay Spire only for transportation, potentially lowering total cost versus bundled sales service.
- Model commodity savings vs. supply-management overhead
- Confirm interruptible curtailment terms before electing
- Coordinate supply via the account representative
Multi-site / consultant data access
Standardize on signed third-party authorizations plus property-manager channels since no Green Button or API exists.
With no automated data feed, consultants should batch authorizations (PropertyMGR email for portfolios) and plan around the 12-month usage cap and annual renewals.
- Keep signed authorizations on file and renew annually
- Use PropertyMGR@SpireEnergy.com for 5+ properties
- Expect 12 months max of usage history
Historical Rate Trends
Under the RSE plan, Spire Alabama's base rates adjust annually to keep the company's return on equity within an APSC-approved range, while the Gas Supply Adjustment fluctuates with wholesale gas markets. Base-rate increases occur only on December 1; decreases may occur April 1, July 1, or October 1.
December 1, 2025
Annual RSE point-of-test date on which Spire Alabama base rates may adjust to the midpoint of the approved return range.
n/aOverall trend: Base distribution rates move once a year (December 1) within the RSE framework; bill-to-bill variation is driven mostly by the Gas Supply Adjustment and the Real-Time Temperature Adjustment.
Next expected change: Next potential base-rate adjustment under RSE would take effect December 1 (annual point of test); GSA changes can occur as approved to track wholesale gas costs.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Alabama gas is fully regulated with a dollar-for-dollar gas pass-through, C&I savings come from rate-schedule fit, the sales-vs-transportation choice, and usage/peak management rather than supplier shopping.
Right-size the rate schedule
For: All C&I accounts
Confirm the lowest-cost applicable schedule given volume and load (small commercial vs. large C&I vs. interruptible) with a Large C&I Account Representative.
Evaluate transportation service
For: Large-volume C&I customers
Large users who can procure their own gas supply may save by taking transportation service and paying Spire only for distribution.
Consider interruptible service
For: Loads tolerant of interruption
Facilities that can curtail during peak demand may qualify for reduced volumetric rates on interruptible service.
Manage usage and weather sensitivity
For: All C&I accounts
Improve building/process efficiency to cut volumetric distribution and GSA costs, and understand the Real-Time Temperature Adjustment's effect on weather-driven bills.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Spire Alabama interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a C&I energy consultant get our Spire Alabama usage data?▾
Yes, via a manual process. There is no Green Button or API. The account holder signs a Third-Party Authorization / Data Sharing form, submits it to Spire, and Spire delivers up to 12 months of usage by email after verification (typically 5-10 business days). Annual renewal may be required.
Does Spire Alabama provide interval (hourly) gas data?▾
No. Although new ultrasonic AMI meters transmit hourly, Spire only exposes monthly usage summaries to customers and third parties. Sub-monthly interval data is not available.
How are Spire Alabama C&I rates set, and can we shop for gas?▾
Alabama gas service is fully regulated and there is no retail gas choice. Rates are set by the APSC under Spire's Rate Stabilization and Equalization (RSE) plan, with a Gas Supply Adjustment passing wholesale gas costs through dollar-for-dollar. Optimization comes from rate-schedule fit and transportation vs. sales decisions, not supplier switching.
When can Spire Alabama base rates change?▾
Under the RSE plan, base rates can only increase on December 1; decreases can take effect April 1, July 1, or October 1 if the projected return exceeds the approved range. The Gas Supply Adjustment can change more frequently to track wholesale gas prices.
Why does my Spire bill change with the weather?▾
Spire Alabama applies a Real-Time Temperature Adjustment that normalizes the recovery of non-gas costs for abnormally warm or cold weather, in addition to the volumetric Gas Supply Adjustment that reflects actual usage and wholesale gas costs.
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