HIGHER NATURAL GAS BILLS EXPECTED IN WAKE OF WINTER STORM FERN

  

Brenham residents should prepare to pay more on their natural gas bills this month.

City of Brenham Chief Financial Officer Julie Flagg told the city council on Thursday that Winter Storm Fern caused a widespread spike in demand for natural gas.  This drove up what providers across the country had to pay for natural gas and will lead to consumers likely seeing what Flagg said will be a “significant” increase to their February gas bills, reflecting January’s higher usage. 

According to Flagg, based off the average residential customer’s winter gas bill that uses 6 Mcfs (Mcf = 1,000 cubic feet), the cost is projected to increase by 37.7 percent, with variability depending on how much gas a home used.

Flagg said the city’s cost for gas (measured in Million British Thermal Units, or MMBtu) is passed on to customers based off of the city’s gas cost adjustment factor, calculated monthly.  Between January 1-21, the city’s average cost was $2.56 per MMBtu.  That average cost shot up to $13.36 per MMBtu from January 22-28, peaking for three days at $19.94 per MMBtu. 

Flagg said the city is attempting to smooth out the spike’s effects over February and March.  She also reiterated that since this matter is one of supply and demand, and because the winter storm affected a large portion of the country, Brenham is one of many cities dealing with this situation.