Blog · Published October 8, 2026

Georgia fixed versus variable gas rates: the October 2026 gap

Every one of the nine eligible marketers with both a standard variable rate and a standard 12-month fixed rate in the Georgia PSC’s October 2026 filings priced the variable gas higher per therm. The median same-marketer gap was $1.34 per therm.

At the PSC’s October example of 18 therms, including the difference in marketer service charges, the median monthly comparison difference was $24.12. This is one month’s filed comparison. It is not a forecast of annual savings from signing a fixed contract.

The same-marketer comparison

The table is alphabetical. The last column is variable minus fixed at 18 therms, including signup service charges. The common October AGL base-charge assumption cancels from that difference.

The gaps vary substantially. Town Square’s standard variable rate is 4.3 cents per therm above its fixed rate; Georgia Natural Gas’s gap is $1.680 per therm. The cohort median describes the middle marketer, not an average household or an enrollment recommendation.

For prices available now, use the standard 12-month fixed comparison and the variable-rate table, which also separates introductory plans. Deciding between the two? See should I get a fixed or variable rate and is a variable rate risky.

Service charges change the dollar comparison

The monthly difference is:

(Variable rate − fixed rate) × monthly therms + (variable service charge − fixed service charge).

For Georgia Natural Gas, the rate gap contributes $30.24 at 18 therms. Its variable signup service charge is $4 lower, bringing the difference to $26.24. For Stream, a $1 higher variable service charge raises the example difference from $16.76 to $17.76.

We use the explicit signup service charge where available, otherwise the high end of the filed range, consistent with our ranking methodology. Your service charge, actual consumption and delivery charges can differ from the chart’s example.

Why this does not predict a year of savings

A variable rate can change next month. A fixed rate commits you to a term and may carry an early termination fee. Multiplying October’s difference by 12 would assume the variable price, consumption and other charges stayed unchanged; the filing does not support that assumption.

We excluded introductory variable offers. Some introductory prices can be below standard fixed prices for a short period, so the finding is specifically about standard variable rates, not every variable offer.

We also excluded Xoom’s standard variable row because its filing limits it to existing customers. Some included fixed rows have regional restrictions: Walton is Metro Atlanta only, and True Natural Gas has an existing-customer restriction in the Rome delivery area. Check the plan notes before assuming you qualify.

For the practical tradeoffs, read how fixed and variable plans work. If you already have a fixed contract, include its exit fee when considering a change; our switching guide explains the process.

A snapshot alongside a longer history

The rate-history page puts current filings in context. Marketers enter or leave comparable cohorts, and the PSC’s monthly usage examples change across the year, so a historical dollar gap mixes price changes with changing examples.

Even annual fixed estimates can rise when the gas rate falls. Our October 2026 versus October 2025 analysis separates the rate change from changes in annual usage and base-charge assumptions.

Not sure which plan type fits your household? Our Georgia natural gas shopping guide walks through it, and the homeowners and families guide shows what a year costs on each plan type at this month’s filed prices.

Sources and method

Sources: the PSC’s October 2026 fixed chart and October 2026 variable chart, rechecked October 8, 2026.

We select one standard 12-month fixed row and one standard variable row per marketer, choosing the lowest annual estimate if a marketer has multiple eligible rows in a category. We exclude regulated-provider plans, introductory and other non-standard rows, withheld rows, missing prices and offers restricted entirely to existing customers. We then compare the nine marketers with both eligible rows. A higher standard variable rate this month does not establish which contract will be cheapest over a future year.

Download the paired rates and monthly differences (CSV) and source references, assumptions and input fingerprints (JSON). The underlying records are available through our public data page.

Open Natural Gas is not paid by any marketer and no marketer can pay for placement. The Georgia Public Service Commission does not rank or endorse marketers.