Last week, the U.S. government announced they expect a spike in heating bills for those using natural gas, with some having to spend 30% more.
However, companies like DTE and Consumers Energy are assuring customers they are prepared for the winter and their customers won’t see a huge increase.
“We’ll actually purchase natural gas when it’s cheaper in the summer and then we’ll store it until it’s needed by our customers in the winter and we’re able to pass along those savings because we bought it at a cheaper price,” said Josh Paciorek, West Michigan Media Spokesman for Consumers Energy.
Vice President of Gas Sales and Supply with DTE, Dan Brudzynski, said the increase in prices this year is because of the low demand for natural gas last year.
“What happened was production got sidelined as well,” he said. “So now that demand is ramping back up globally, the supply and producers are starting to catch up as well. So there’s a supply and demand imbalance going on right now.”
There are a few ways customers can reduce their natural gas usage and also save some money.
“Starting with the furnace, check your filter,” said Brudzynski. “Make sure it’s clean and make sure your furnace is working efficiently. The second thing is your thermostat. Get one. It will save you a couple hundred dollars a season.”
Consumers Energy recommends keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees.
“If that’s too low, one thing you can do is take your temperature from where you’re most comfortable, and even just taking it down by one degree will help lead to big savings over the course of your monthly heating bill,” said Paciorek.
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