Heating bills forecast to rise this winter

The cost of both natural gas and propane are expected to rise, according to an Oct. 13 energy bulletin from DNR that cited the Energy Information Administration’s winter fuels outlook. About 57 percent of Missouri households use natural gas to heat their homes, while propane accounts for about 13 percent of home heating needs.

Natural gas users can expect to spend an average of $78 more to heat their homes this winter, while propane users could see their bills jump by as much as $221 on average. Actual increases will be influenced by local weather conditions, market size and the size and energy efficiency of individual homes, according to the bulletin.

On Oct. 10, natural gas futures closed at $7.01 per one million British thermal units, an increase of $1.20, or 21 percent, in the past month. According to DNR’s bimonthly winter heating season propane survey, the average retail price for residential propane was $1.85 per gallon, up 15.1 cents from last month and 23 cents from the $1.62 per-gallon price at this time last year.

Gasoline prices in Missouri, however, have dropped slightly, according to the bulletin.

On Oct. 8, the average retail price for regular unleaded gasoline in Missouri was $2.57 per gallon, down nearly 19 cents from the average retail price a month ago, but still up 69 cents from the same period last year. Diesel prices averaged $2.97 per gallon, up 4 percent from last month and 24 percent from last year.