TOWN OF DALE, Wis. (NBC 26) — Many in Wisconsin will likely have to spend a bit more money to stay warm this winter. Wisconsin Public Service estimates natural gas customers will see heating bills rise on average by about 40 dollars a month.
In the Town of Dale at Earth Sense Energy Systems, salesman Jacob Schillinger is in the business of selling gas, pellet, and wood stoves to make the winter more bearable for his customers. Schillinger says many of his customers are starting to lean on non-gas stove heating sources as a first choice.
"A lot of input that we've been getting from our customers is they've seen quite a bit of a rise in natural gas prices, as well, if not more, with LP," says Schillinger. He adds that pellet and wood-burning stoves are becoming increasingly popular as the price of natural gas continues to rise.
"Investing in something that is not going to skyrocket at any point in the year is quite the investment for them," says Schillinger.
And that investment might pay off in the long run for some customers. Just this week Wisconsin Public Service announced that its average customer, using natural gas this winter, will likely see their bills increase by about 40 dollars a month compared to last year.
"Natural gas costs have spiked across the country. The daily average price for natural has more than doubled this year and prices are at their highest level in the past decade," says Matt Cullen the Spokesman for WPS.
Cullen says worldwide demand for natural gas is up and the supply is tight; that's why WPS stocked up on supplies of natural gas earlier this year.
"We do not anticipate we'll have any operational impacts, and we don't anticipate there will be any supply issues for our customers either," adds Cullen.
So, as the winter slowly but truly creeps into Wisconsin and the price to stay warm steadily increases; some in the heating business say it may be time to consider another source for warmth other than natural gas.
"Having one of these in your home could save you up to 50 percent off your energy bill per month," adds Schillinger.
Wisconsin Public Service does have resources available to many who are concerned about the potential increases to natural gas bills this winter. Check out thislinkto learn more about energy assistance from WPS.
