The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission warns natural gas customers to expect higher prices this heating season, with industry analysts saying gas prices could rise 40-90% over last year.
But, Pierre City Utilities director Brad Palmer says their customers shouldn’t be impacted by the price spike.
Fort Pierre Public Works director Rick Hahn says any natural gas price increases won’t be reflected in their city utility prices either.
PUC chairman Chris Nelson says natural gas bills have two components. The portion for natural gas delivery, which makes up about 30% of the bill, is regulated by the PUC and is not projected to change. He says the other portion of the bill is for the gas itself and that price, which is not regulated, is driven by market forces. The state’s regulated natural gas companies include Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., MidAmerican Energy Co. and NorthWestern Energy.
The PUC recommends completing a home energy audit as a good way to determine where your home is losing energy and identify what fixes or upgrades are worth the investment. Some utility companies offer a professional assessment to customers free of charge. Other ways to lower natural gas and electric consumption include setting your thermostat to a lower temperature, installing a programmable thermostat, maintaining and upgrading appliances for greater energy efficiency, changing furnace filters and conserving hot water.
See a list of frequently asked questions about natural gas pricing on the PUC’s website at https://puc.sd.gov/Publications/naturalgaspricesfaq.aspx. For additional tips on conserving energy and information on energy efficiency programs, contact your local utility company or visit the US Department of Energy’s website.
Comments