EDWARDSVILLE, IL (KMOX) - The price of natural gas is burning through some household budgets. Consumers in the St. Louis region are reporting their energy bills have spiked -- in some cases doubling this winter.
Tucker Kennedy, Communications Director with Ameren Illinois tells KMOX, the price of natural gas in their territory is at a 13-year high. Kennedy says demand for natural gas is up, but production is down.
He adds, the utility has been able to cushion the higher prices a bit.
"About 60% of the gas that we're currently delivering we already purchased in the summer when prices were lower and demand was lower. We store those in our underground storage fields and then release it when demand is up. So we're able to hedge about 60% of those costs."
Under state law, customers pay the same price Ameren does -- the utility is not allowed to profit off natural gas supply.
Kennedy recommends budget billing for customers who have a hard time managing the fluctuating prices. He says Ameren did advise customers in the fall that natural gas prices were likely to rise this winter.
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