(See chart 2 .). Prices paid by Los Angeles area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.275 per therm, or 36.8 percent more compared to the national average in August 2015 ($0.932 per therm).or electricity, average prices per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and per 500 kWh are published. For utility (piped) gas, average prices per therm, per 40 therms, and per 100 therms are published.