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Gas is one of the basic utilities in a household. Currently, we have two primary cooking gas options – LPG and PNG. LPG or Liquified Petroleum Gas is provided to the consumers in gas cylinders. PNG or Piped Natural Gas is made accessible to the consumers via piped gas connections installed in the kitchens. There has been a lot of debate as to which option is better. We are here to put an end to this discussion and help you decide what cooking option is best for your home!
Let’s start by understanding what LPG and PNG are.
What is LPG?
LPG or Liquified Petroleum Gas is a flammable form of gas made of multiple hydrocarbon gases. LPG has been used by Indian households for many decades as one of the primary cooking options. The gas is provided in LPG gas cylinders. These cylinders are connected to the stove via a pipe. According to the government of India, a user can book only 15 cylinders per year.
Related read: Here’s how you can get a new LPG gas connection in India
What is PNG?
PNG or Piped Natural Gas is made of hydrocarbons and methane. Natural gas is comparatively less toxic than the others. It has been a new entrant for Indian households. The gas is provided via pipes installed in kitchens. There is no limit as to how much PNG you can use in a year. The PNG meter is installed to keep a track of monthly usage.
Now that you have understood the basics, let’s address your question – which is better? We are going to compare PNG and LPG based on various important factors. Keep reading to know more.
Is Piped gas cheaper than a cylinder?
If you were wondering which gas is cheaper- cylinder vs piped gas, here’s the answer for you. It depends on the following factors:
- Consumption pattern
- Amount of usage
- Service Providers’ rates
- Residential City
- Installation and registration charges (differ for every provider)
- Subsidy
Related read: How LPG subsidy led to regularization of address & name in LPG Gas Connections?
If you are planning to switch to a piped gas connection and are just wondering which is cheaper, we recommend you consult households already using a piped gas connection and compare notes with them. Understand their consumption pattern and the amount of monthly usage to see if you can calculate an approximate bill for yourself. Sometimes, a household might find gas cylinders cheaper than piped connections due to their usage and other factors like a subsidy.
People are often quick to assume that piped gas connections are more expensive due to private players and high installation charges. That is not the case. Even after the high installation charges, the monthly charges for gas usage might be cheaper than a gas cylinder. Therefore, in long term, if you break even and cover the installation costs, piped connections may turn out to be cheaper for you. We also advise you to go online and compare the prices of various players to find the cheapest option available in your city. It has also been reported that there isn’t a vast difference between the charges for PNG and LPG.
Piped gas vs cylinder – which is a safer option?
Keeping aside the cost factor, one also needs to consider the safer option for their home. PNG is supposedly a safer option than LPG gas cylinders. The pressure for piped gas connection is 21 millibar or 200 times lower than gas cylinders. Moreover, natural gas or PNG is lighter than air, and therefore, in case of a leakage, it gets mixed with air rapidly and evaporates.
Whereas LPG is heavier than the air and settles down in case of a leakage, increasing the chances of fire.
Differences between Piped Gas connection and Gas cylinder – Piped gas vs cylinder
Refer to the below table for a detailed comparison between piped gas connections and gas cylinders.
| Basis of Difference | Piped Gas connection (PNG) | Gas Cylinder (LPG) |
| Availability | Available via gas pipeline connection | Available in gas cylinders |
| Supply | Unlimited supply of gas available at the touch of a knob | Advance Bookings need to be made for refilling or getting a new gas cylinder |
| Delivery duration | No delivery required | Delivery within one or two days |
| Billing method | Billed through a meter for the monthly gas usage | Charged per cylinder |
| Nature of payment | Postpaid payment | Prepaid payment |
| Installation & Registration costs | Installation and registration charges are comparatively higher | Lower installation and registration charges |
| Safety | Safer than cylinders (pressure for PNG is less) | Less safe than PNG |
| Type of Service Providers | Both private and public service providers | Limited private companies, major distribution by public companies |
| Top players | GAIL India Ltd., Indraprastha Gas Ltd., Adani Total Gas Ltd., | HP Gas, Bharat Gas, Indane Gas |
| Cities available | Most of the cities in India | Available pan India |
| Tampering attempt | Can’t be tampered with due to meters | Cylinders sometimes weigh less than the indicated amount – can be tampered with easily |
Keep these pointers in mind and compare the cost and safety factors for PNG and LPG to make your final decision. Both services can be paid easily online from our Airtel Thanks app.
How to book an LPG cylinder or pay the piped gas bill from the Airtel Thanks app?
Follow the below steps:
- Open latest version of the Airtel Thanks app.
- Tap on the ‘pay’ tab in the app.
- Now click on ‘more’ under the ‘Recharge & Pay Bills’ header.
- Choose the ‘book cylinder’ option or the ‘piped gas’ option under utilities to book a new cylinder or pay your piped gas bill.
- Select the operator and enter your customer ID to proceed.
- Follow the steps available on the screen and complete the online payment.
So, be it a piped gas connection or an LPG one, the payment part will always be convenient and 100% digital with the Airtel Thanks app!
Related read: How to check gas bills online using the Airtel Thanks app
