Heating costs up but not as much as feared
Rock County residents spoiled by November's freakishly warm start might shudder as they dig out the mittens and turn up the thermostat this weekend.
But there's one bright spot as the area starts its headlong descent toward winter: Heating costs probably won't be nearly as high this winter as originally feared.
An Oct. 7 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts Americans will spend 15 percent more on heating this winter, with an 18 percent increase for the half of the households that use natural gas to heat their homes.
Alliant Energy customers could fare better, said spokesman Scott Reigstad. The company is predicting an 8 to 12 percent increase over last year, assuming Wisconsin has an average winter.
The price of natural gas has come way down from summer, he said.
"Way back in July, natural gas prices were at all-time highs," he said. "Then we were predicting 40 percent increases."
Here are some other projected home-heating increases, according to the Energy Information Administration:
-- Electricity: 10 percent increase. About 35 percent of U.S. households rely on electricity to heat their homes.
-- Heating oil: 23 percent increase. About 7 percent of U.S. households heat their homes with oil, most of them in the Northeast.
-- Propane: 11 percent increase. About 6 percent of U.S. households heat their homes with propane.
Bob Zeek, president of Blackhawk Propane Company, South Beloit, Ill., said the price of propane has dropped since summer but doesn't expect it to drop any more, he said.
He was selling propane Thursday for $2.23 a gallon, down from $2.45 in the summer, he said.
Demand from farmers is what will keep the price of propane up, he said. Grain farmers use propane to power corn dryers, and they planted lots of corn this year, he said.
"It's the most grain drying we've had in the last seven or eight years," he said. "They can't even keep enough (propane) in the pipelines to feed us so we can sell it."
Nov 7, 2008 at 8:26 p.m.
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What good would it do to "get a Kill-A-Watt meter and figure out which appliances draw the most energy;"?...if you can't afford to replace them anyway?
Nov 7, 2008 at 12:35 p.m.
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The solution isn't capping the profits of the supplier (they rarely have that much to do with the prices, as it's a global commodity), it's capping demand by increasing energy conservation. Get an energy audit of your home; get a Kill-A-Watt meter and figure out which appliances draw the most energy; weatherstrip and insulate.
Nov 7, 2008 at 12:14 p.m.
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dkush21 you answer is simply as supply and demand. The demand for energy is ever increasing the demand for utilities distributed is never ending. The new power meter is installed for accuracy and safety, they do wear out. You would be complaining like crazy if you knew the error on the old one wasn't in your favor. Your right about the fact it is "there" equipment why should we all pay for it after all it takes all of the equipment to supply "us" with power. Complain all you want but the government already regulates energy companies perhaps they would be cost effective with out the government interfering with a free market but then again people that don't want to pay there bill would get shut off with out assistance. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Nov 7, 2008 at 12:11 p.m.
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Everyone should email our president elect and put your suggestions in on our enery policies and to put caps on companies who deal with the necessities we need, like heating, cooling, gasoline, water, phone, healthcare,etc. to where they are not aloud to make huge profits at the citizens cost.
Nov 7, 2008 at 11:52 a.m.
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I know I'll be wearing lots of sweatshirts this winter in the house! I love the way Alliant makes it sound like we should be thankful it's only going up 8-12%, instead of 40%. In the state of current finances, it shouldn't be going up at all. I know I am really looking forward to $300-400$ bills this winter when the house is at 55 degrees. I'll bet the CEO's of Alliant are warm and toasty tho.
Nov 7, 2008 at 11:33 a.m.
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Exactly, why are we paying more for heating and electricity? There should be a cap put on the electric companies. I am tired of these companies making huge profits at the cost of the consumers. Here they installed a new meter and I am getting charged a monthly fee for a new meter through Alliant Energy. It's their equipment, why should I have to pay for it. They could have left the old meter their, I'm sure it was working fine.
Nov 7, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.
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With natural gas prices at a 4 year low, it makes me wonder why the prices will be going up?
Nov 7, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
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Mr. T. Boone Pickens, why would I want to fuel my car with natural gas if the increased demand would cause me to have to spend more to heat my house in the winter???
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