By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A thousand cubic feet (MCF) of natural gas was selling in the open market for $8.07 last week. That’s good news for Hartselle Utilities customers who paid as much as $12.34 for the same amount last winter.
“About 25 percent of the total is in underground storage and the remainder is under contract. This means the customer’s monthly gas bill will be 30 to 35 percent less than what it was last winter, weather conditions being equal.”
Sittason said he believes HU will be able to purchase the remaining 20 percent of its gas supply in the open market at rates substantially lower than what they were last year.
Production levels in the Gulf region are back to where they were before Hurricane Katrina and there’s more gas in storage now than there has ever been at this time of the year, he pointed out.
However, he reminded customers that gas prices could change for the worse in the event of another hurricane in the Gulf region or an unusually harsh winter.