As colder temperatures arrive, natural gas market prices have been rising and are projected to continue to climb into winter. The City of Superior wants customers to be aware of the potential impact for higher natural gas bills this winter and remind customers to be as efficient as possible to lower monthly heating costs.

Several factors are contributing to the rise in natural gas market prices, including rising domestic demand and increased foreign exports while natural gas production is relatively flat and gas storage inventories are below the five-year average. The wholesale cost of natural gas for the winter period (November 2021-March 2022) may double from the same period a year ago based on expected market futures from Oct. 27. Weather plays a key role as colder temperatures result in more natural gas demand, impacting heating bills.

The City of Superior is a member of the National Public Gas Agency (NPGA), a wholesale natural gas supplier to municipalities that own their own natural gas distribution systems. Through NPGA, we have significantly lessened some of the impacts from the rising market by using a variety of purchasing strategies for roughly half of gas volumes projected this winter, shielding utilities and customers from the full impact of the market. We also have

the ability to withdraw a significant portion of winter usage from storage from gas that was purchased during the summer months at lower rates.

Residents can lower their heating bills by lowering their natural gas usage. The best way to accomplish this is to winterize your home. This includes:

Checking your home for adequate insulation and repair any holes in your roof.

Repairing cracks in walls and around doors and windows that allow heated air to escape.

Sealing leaks in furnace air ducts.

Changing or cleaning air filters monthly during the heating season.

Getting a heating system tune-up.

Setting thermostats between 65 and 70 degrees.

Placing plastic sheeting over windows to prevent drafts.

Insulating water heaters with an insulation blanket.

For more information on ways to cut heating costs, go to the Department of Energy’s Web site at “http://www.energy.gov” http://www.energy.gov.