There’s mixed news on the cost of the heating fuels used in the state in the latest survey by the Office of Energy Independence. Analyst Kerri Johannsen explains. Johannsen says prices are higher now then they were at this time last year, but the prices have held steady in the last few months.
Natural gas prices were up 30% from last year while propane was up eight cents and heating oil was up 12 cents a gallon compared to last year. Johannsen says the supply has help hold prices steady in the last few months. She says people were prepared with enough supply coming into this winter.
One heating fuel, propane, was in short supply this fall as the demand was high from farmers to dry their harvested crops. Propane held steady at $1.83 in the February survey. Johannsen says the price of propane has leveled off since we saw the big demand this fall, and she says temperatures have been cold, they have not been the record cold temperatures we’ve seen earlier.
Find out more on the Office of Energy Independence website at: www.energy.iowa.gov.