BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Following one of the warmest winters on record for Western New York, National Fuel is predicting its customers will see an increase in their utility bills this season.
National Fuel expects the average bill for the five-month period between November and March to go up 13 percent to $560. That's an average monthly bill of $112. Last winter, heating costs averaged $494 or $99 per month.
National Fuel says temperatures last winter were about 16 percent warmer than normal.
“While we are expecting a modest increase in bills this winter, heating with natural gas remains the most affordable and reliable energy source for the residents and businesses in western New York,” said Donna L. DeCarolis, President of National Fuel. “Market prices for natural gas, the cost of the energy source, have remained low and relatively stable for more than a decade."
National Fuel says the projected increase this winter is driven by the colder forecast and an estimated increase in delivery rates. The company says that last fall it requested the New York Public Service Commission for its first base delivery rate increase since 2017. The increase in delivery rates could take effect as early as December 1, 2024.
