Missed in the run-up to the holidays 1: Austin City Connection RSS feed included an item noting that Austin Energy is able to hold prices for at least the start of 2009. I checked and they increased prices in 2008 just over half-a-cent per kilowatt hour for the energy part of the bill. This was the first rise for the energy since 1994.

The news item said it was as a result of being able to lock in better prices for future purchases. The cynic in me says it’s because they already put the price up, and over the last 3-months gas prices have slumped back to pre-2008 prices. Of course we all know that the futures market is gamblers paradise for the big boys, and so hopefully Austin Energy are on a safe bet. Of course if gas and natural-gas prices see the same price rises they did for the first 9-months of 2008, in 2009, I wouldn’t bet against a price rise for 2010. Unless you know better?