AGA Predicts Sharp Increases of US Winter Heating Costs

AGA predicts sharp increases of US winter heating costs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) — American Gas Association (AGA) said on Tuesday that US national winter heating costs are expected to average at least 50 percent higher than last winter.

The AGA, which represents gas utilities in the United States, predicted that some homeowners in the Midwest, where natural gas is used in four out of every five homes, could pay as much as 1, 600 to heat their homes this winter if the weather turns colder than normal.

“The biggest driver for natural gas bills will be weather,” said Roger Cooper, executive director of the AGA, at a news conference.

He said that “We have never seen prices so high and increase so quickly.”

Meanwhile, he also said that there should be adequate gas supplies in storage despite supply disruptions from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita which hit the US Gulf Coast areas in the past two months.

Last year, the average US gas user nationwide spent about 700 dollars for heat over the winter months, although prices in the Midwest averaged about 950 for the season.