October 13, 2009
CPS Energy, the largest U.S. municipally owned energy company in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday expected a chilly winter ahead and expensive energy bills for its customers in the coming winter.
The 2009-2010 winter utility bills will increase over last winter because of projected cooler weather that will cause greater use of energy, particularly natural gas for heating, the company said in a news release.
"Average natural gas prices are expected to increase to 6.31 dollars per thousand cubic feet (MCF) from last year's price of 5.78 dollars per MCF," said Sylvia Arnold, CPS Energy director of customer services.
Her conclusion is based on the following elements:
Firstly, officials and experts of Greater San Antonio are forecasting a longer and chillier temperatures in the coming winter in U.S. South.
Secondly, natural gas prices will continue to rise in fall through to winter.
Thirdly, many CPS Energy customers rely on natural gas to heat their homes, and gas use will contribute significantly to their overall winter energy bills.
In light of these projections, CPS Energy estimates the average monthly residential gas and electric bill for November through February at 135.50 dollars per month, 14.57 dollars, or 9 percent, more than last year's average bill of 120.93 dollars, said the news release.
CPS Energy serves approximately 700,000 electric customers and more than 320,000 natural gas customers in and around San Antonio, the seventh-largest city in the United States.
It estimates gas use for the average residential customer will be 50 CCF (hundred cubic feet) per month compared to last year's average of 43 CCF, and average electric use will be 953 kilowatt-hours (KWH) per month against 916 KWH per month last winter.
CPS Energy also stands number one in wind-energy capacity among municipally owned utilities across the country and ranks number one in Texas in solar-generated electricity under contract.