P.S.C. Cautions About Higher Heating Bills Next Winter

A chilly forecast for this winter comes from the State Public Service Commission. P.S.C. Chairman Kelvin Simmons says the Commission is increasingly worried about home heating bills this winter. Futures prices of natural gas have already exceeded those that prompted the record naturalgas prices of $10 per thousand cubic feet in January of 2001. Simmons says it’s not too early to warn Missourians about a tough winter. Another negative factor is low storage levels, nearly 30-percent below the five yearaverage. He says the only way to avoid high natural gas prices would be to have a mild summer followed by a mild winter.