There is a pending energy issue looming just beyond the horizon that is going to become a major issue very soon. Electricity rates, natural gas costs and home heating oil prices increased massively due to Joe Biden energy policy. However, things are likely to get much worse in a few months.
On the issue of oil and gasoline prices, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has dropped 40% since Joe Biden began using it to offset massive global prices increases in oil. However, Biden is doing nothing to increase production and has not engaged energy producers in conversation to expand domestic production. Non pretending warning HERE.
Ultimately what this means is another wave of sicky price increases for gasoline are coming fast.
Additionally, Mark Wolfe, director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), is warning that continued pressure on natural gas supplies by exporting U.S. production to Europe is going to make our electricity rates go even higher as more than 40% of U.S. electricity generated comes from the use of natural gas. Wolfe wrote a letter in October to Energy Secretary Granholm [SEE HERE], and the situation is unfolding exactly as he warned.
Electricity rates have jumped massively in the past year, and it looks like they are going to continue to rise. The spring and summer of 2023 looks to deliver another round of higher oil prices, higher natural gas prices, higher electricity prices and higher gasoline prices. Which brings me to the question…
It is challenging to find solid data (without noise) on regional electricity, home heating and natural gas prices. However, Treehouse readers consistently provide the most accurate assessments of reality on the ground. You guys are the experts in checkbook economics. So, I ask you the question:
How much have your electricity, natural gas and/or home heating costs increased in the past year?
Single woman. Keep the thermostat on 62 in the winter. Received an astronomical electricity rate increase last month. People are going to freeze to death in America. Now a third world hell hole. Didn’t take long folks.
Central Maine:
Gas = $3.50
Oil = $4.30
Elec = 30% increase
Gas and oil came down over the past few months but steadily increasing now.
Including your location is very much appreciated!
We’ve been lucky thus far.
Then again, it’s been a mostly mild winter.
Natural gas hasn’t gone up very much in my AO (midwest).
Upstate of SC. Nuclear for electricity. Propane for gas. So far, no major changes from last year.
Starting from January 2020, before lock downs and Trump in his last year my electric bill is up 25% and my Natural Gas is up 50%. Don’t keep records on how much I spend on Gasoline.
East coast Pennsylvania.
Home Oil : January 2021…$1.88 a gallon
September 2021…$2.30
November 2022…$4.15
Electric: 28% increase/ with highest increases to generation and distribution.
Have you called your Senator? Uncle Festerwoman? s/
Uncle Fester: “what’s that ringing sound?”
Gas ⛽️ = was 2.50 or so under Trump. Now $5.00 = double
Electric & heating (natural gas) on same bill= up by 1/3.
BUT I HAVE TURNED DOWN THERMOSTAT & disconnected all appliances/lights & shut vents, etc when not in room/not in use. (i.e guest room/home office)
Elitists/WEF/Woke “Corporates” … are starving/killing/destroying with intent. They are communists … and we better start calling them out every chance we get …
I used to say this, as hyperbole.
They want us hungry and shivering in a dark cave!
I say it as an observation, now.
BTW: This is a recipe for a short life-span.
Cave-dwellers only live maybe 25-30 years?
Any anthropologists out there?
Southwestern Louisiana here, just arrived and purchased home in April 22. So far prices seem to be holding. Worst of summer is about $190 for 2 people and 2500 sq ft. ranch. We were away during the cold snap and that bill was just a little over $100 but thermometer at 55 degrees. Our electric heat is running now. Will have an idea on that in February. Looking into whole home mini split and a Snynergy insulation system in attic.
I live just south of Tacoma, Washington State, near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and my electricity and home heating oil costs have fluctuated minimally. With so much natural hydroelectric power (and living in a region where there’s plenty of natural H2O replenishment), my home electric costs have been steady for years. I use oil heat and all the heating oil companies in the region refill from the same oil stockpile in the Port of Tacoma. We’ve had no heating oil shortages and my home heating oil costs have stayed relatively constant between $3.50-$4.00/gallon (I just had 340 gallons delivered last week for $1,280, or, about $3.75/gal.) I don’t have any natural gas needs.
Natural gas supplied by So.Calif Gas Co has increased by 130%(per therm) since Trump left office in January, 2021. The top tier electric rates by So. Calif. Edison is now $.48/kWh or a 38% increase since Trump left office.
Not according to what I see on my SoCalGas bill. In January 2021 we paid $1.50/therm. In January 2022, $1.93, a 29% increase. In January 2023, $3.85/therm, a 100% increase over last year. The average rate of increase over the last two years has been 60% per year. We only run the heater in the early hours on most days.
With SoCal Edison, it is harder to calculate the rate of increase, because they have different plans (TOU, tiered domestic rates, etc.), and in each plan they constantly vary/tweak the prices. For example we are on a tiered plan, and the “baseline” amount varies from month to month and year to year. On the average, we use the most electricity in the late summer months, and our average cost per kWh has increased about 17.7% over each of the last two years.
Not the” average” rate per year, but the total % rate increase from TWO years ago when Trump left office is 130%!
I live north of Atlanta, GA. I do annual contracts for natural gas. I always renew after the cold weather is over, in May. My annual contract rate right now is .429.
If I had to do an annual contract right now it would be .75 per therm. The current variable rate is $2.14 per therm. My gas bill should be around $125-$150 this month. I have gas heating, water heater and stove. We don’t use our gas fire place.
I pay Georgia Power for electricity. I pay on a budget plan where the past twelve months are averaged. My bill recently went from $200 per month to $255 per month this month. Some of this is due to having a hot summer last year. We have a (well insulated) 2500 sq ft house that we keep at 73 degrees 24/7. (70 degrees 24/7 in the winter). From Dec 5 to Jan 5 I used 1430kWh and the estimated cost was $140 (probably before added fees). (I hit about 2550 kWh in July/Aug.)
My water bill irritates me. It bounces around and is between $125-160 per month.
Because I set my thermostat to 60 degrees, my normal December gas bill is well under $100.00. This year, my December bill was $110.00 and the current (January) bill is $175.00
Monterey County, CA – PG&E bill recently (December) went from $200+ to $700+. I suspect higher increases will be coming soon in the aftermath of the recent storms and the $$$ spent by PG&E in repairing downed power poles/lines.
Natural gas has almost doubled, electricity up about 30-40%, gasoline keeps moving, but mostly over$4/gallon.
State?
Outside ATL….
Georgia Natural Gas
——Aug22…………0.679/therm
with 0.11 discount
——signed new 2 year contract…..
——Sep22/now….1.059/therm
with 0.16 discount
Southern Company (electricity)
——Aug22…..0.144/kWh
——now…..0.138/kWh
So natural gas prices went up 63%….
and electricity is down….5%….????
Electricity went from $38.00 in November to $110.00 in December. We did have a cold snap (-35 wind chill index) But only a couple days. Heat is electric.
Where is this?
The slough of political corruption that spawned Obama.
Cook County, Ill-annoy.
Update: January’s bill received today- $129.00
My January natural gas bill in Mexifornia was 100% more than last year’s.
In Texas . . . so, I’m fortunately locked into a three-year, fixed cost electricity contract (so no fluctuation). Propane for heating goes up and down with fossil fuel pricing.
I did the exact same thing. Locked in rate 08/21/2021 for 36 months. I am still watching consumption like a hawk. Electric is running $80-$130/month. No natural gas and we stocked up on plenty of firewood for the fireplace that got us through the cold last month. Dec 2022-Jan 2023 is looking like bill will be about $90.
Currently working from home. Last fill up was before Christmas so gas prices haven’t impacted me, but they have impacted hubby whose round trip per day is appx 70 miles.
I’m with Berkeley Electric Co-op in coastal South Carolina, which is a non-profit. My rates haven’t gone up at all and since I went on a time of use plan, my total annual cost is $210 lower than it would be on the regular plan. My bills average out to $77 per month for a 1500 square foot single family home.
My friends who have Dominion Energy have seen increases but I don’t know their details. I just know they are jealous of those with the co-op.
Just a few days ago I rejected the installation by Ameren (Missouri) of their new “smart meter” (electric) on my house. For that privilege, I must pay a flat fee of $100 and $40 extra per month.
Definitely get a pit bull or doberman pincher so that when they come to read your meter in person, you get the satisfaction of watching the meter reader be terrorized. (/sarc)
New Hampshire: Fuel Oil $4.70/gal. Diesel $5.50/gal. Natural gas $2.6+/therm. Electricity $0.40/kWh or more. Massive price increases in electricity in the last 12 months.
Los Angeles: I have greatly curtailed use of central heating (natural gas) this winter. I just wear a sweater, rather than turn on the heat, and add a blanket on the bed. Current indoor temp is 64 degrees. The lights are off, too. I also plan out my driving, so as to combine errands, reduce out-the-way errands, and cut way back on weekend pleasure or hobby-related driving (also down to one car from two, since 2020, for two people).
All forms of energy have increased in price. Almost all foods are 20%-30% higher than prior to the the JoeBama Regime.
Also, the days of 15% tips are over. Now, restaurants, with their wireless card readers and touch-screen check-out terminals “suggest” at minimum, 18% and run up to 22%, or even more. Even take-out dining establishments “suggest” tips. Dining out or take-out is at least 25% more expensive than before JoeBama.
went to subway with a coupon for a 5.99 whole sub we split and filled out previous bill for a free cookie and subway had 3 spots for a tip but one to say no
my gas bill for December more than doubled from Dec 2022.
in fact it was my highest ever here by at least 25%… Feb should be a doozy.
whoops… gas bill doubled from Dec 2021. (W Mi.)
AIR ….. ‘ It’s what’s for dinner ‘
North texas rural electric coop kwh rates are up 25% since last year. Now paying about 12 cents kwh. Winter bill is not as high as it would normally be because it is warmer this year. Just paid my January bill 450. All elect 2500 sf ranch.
My power bill actually went down about 20 dollars, due to paying off an appliance I bought through them. (Alabama Power). That’s not saying what it could be next month though. Know by the 3rd.
Latest gas bill here in Las Vegas—–$116
Same time last year? $81
Well, my electric runs about $240 on avg, but that includes running a pool filter. I also tend to keep my home really warm– bc I’m always getting cold. So AC 77° & heat 75°. My houseguests tend to bring light clothing & extra fans! 😂
Anyhow I haven’t seen a huge jump, but FPL got me another way. I got a ransom demand just before Christmas.
After 3 years having an unsecured acct that is paid every single month, they apparently decided that bc I paid late, (literally DAYS of due date twice in past 6 mo) I needed to pay a deposit of 2 months billing.
I was very annoyed, having never heard of such a thing in all my yrs of utility dealings… so I ignored them! 😁 Paid my regular bill in Dec. Being me, I wanted to see how far they’d take it.
Just before my Jan bill was due (mind you acct is current), I was sitting outside having my morning coffee & all the sudden my little space heater went off. Check inside, they’d shut the power off! WTH!?!
So I check my acct… not late, but there’s a demand for just the deposit amount ($490) to turn it back on! I was like, “that’s extortion!!!”😠
So I reluctantly paid it, but was not happy about it! I shall never pay before or on the due date again- b@st@rds! Lol
Meanwhile I have a good friend who has been a month behind for over a year, & just intentionally let them shut it off after getting 2 months overdue– so to get her bf to pay his share. And they only had to pay the 2nd month to get it turned back on.
So essentially, they’re getting creative in penalizing the regular paying customers. Beware!
40% mor expensive for gas in Northern California
In Tennessee, the electric company has not raised rates in the region I live in for over a decade. However, the Tennessee Valley Authority placed a fuel surcharge that affected all customers. The rate locally is about .07 per KWh. The surcharge has fluctuated throughout the year, and caused the rate to be as high as almost .12 per KWh. We were under a rolling blackout notice during the Arctic Blast event in December, but I didn’t lose electricity. I’m extremely frugal with my energy usage and have always been that way. When I had family in town for a month over the holidays, my bill doubled. So, it’s hard for me to know. Family who lives in the same region of Tennessee has a bill triple mine, but they aren’t as crazy frugal as I am about usage and have a larger family. I layer in warm clothes during the winter, and during summer I open the windows early in the morning to get a cool breeze through, then close up the house.
I have relatives in CA and they literally sit in the dark and don’t turn the heat on due to the excessive prices there. I couldn’t live in the dark like that. California politicians should be drawn and quartered, in my opinion, in a public square with the cameras rolling, for what they’ve done to that once beautiful state.
I live in NE Tennessee. Hydro and nuclear with a non profit. The highest electric bill was received yesterday. $196 for a 1700sq house Not bad for a couple of-19 degree days. I also use an electric fireplace insert. My house is 83yo and brick 2storey, not very well insulated.
gas was $58. The furnace has a gas back up to assist the electric furnace when it gets really cold plus my stove is gas 🙀 gas during the rest of the year is $5.
gasoline $2.90 gallon with a discount at Walmart.
compared to the rest of the country I can’t complain.
Retired Magistrate here: In the last year, home heating oil has gone from about $3.00 per gallon, to $4.76, to $6.00 and the last time we got fuel oil (about three weeks ago) $3.75 per gallon. Our house is set at 64 degrees during the day and 62 at night.
Our electricity rates were 0.073 per kwh and have gone down to 0.04956. However, this is only because through research I discovered that our township as an aggregate plan with Dynegy which is locked in through Spring of next year. This has saved us about $30.00-$40.00 per month.
Gas has been all over the board; anywhere from $2.98 per gallon to almost $5.00 per gallon. Current price is $3.65 per gallon. Whenever it drops we make sure our cars get filled up along with gas cans.
We are doing everything we can to save and survive, especially this Winter which has turned really nasty here in Central, Ohio.
I own a rental property in Chicago with a central boiler for heat. The cost of NG has trippled over the past 18 months.
Sicky or sticky?
I’m all electric and used to keep it under $100 as I have a broken heater and a/c. Just paid this months $204. Even my water bill almost doubled. Last year Jan $58. Just paid this months $91.
And most of that seems to be extra charges and fees besides water. Which puts my business in a bind because there is less money for people to pay for my work. Ugh. Mid 80’s and 43 years owning my own studio. And this is all terrifying
As of right now, natural gas is up over 11% since one year ago and electricity is up over 14%. As me again in two months because I’ve received notice that both are increasing soon, likely over 11% each. Midwest
25-30% in Dallas area between that and groceries I donk know how people are making it..really hitting middle class backbone of us economy
I make it a point Not to Know…..I’m counting the days until BoBo Biden is gone [Wife pays the bills]
Works for you 🤣
Boise area. Gasoline is creeping up, now about $3.55/gal. I drive a VW diesel, paying $4.79/gal, but still cheaper long run than gas due to great mpg. Natural gas up 15% this month, up from whatever the previous increase was last year, I want to say 25% or so. Electric up some, but not too bad, maybe 10%. Groceries up 5, 10, 15% nearly every time we go shopping. Lots of basic items (milk, bread, flour, etc) up 50-60% from a year ago. We shop sales, keep a good stock of stuff on hand, use and replace. Changed some of our eating habits to cut out higher cost items.
Other things that have increased in cost: Auto and home insurance (14%). Property taxes (15%). Basic first aid/medical stuff, like band-aids and ibuprofen (10-20%). Printer paper. Tires. The list goes on and on. It all adds up and the annual token pay raise does not anywhere near meet the higher expenditures.
So Calif. previous January gas heating bill was $100. This year over $300. Bring back President Trump and America’s energy independence!!!
So Calif also: for gas, Dec 21 was $76. Dec 22 was $103.91. Forecast billing for January (due to price increase) is $262 – but then Socal Gas removed the “estimated next billing” from their website.
I guess they got too many irate calls and emails. I will find out in a few days, I guess.
From Marin County, CA, just north of San Francisco.
My PG&E bill shows natural gas unchanged, electricity up 12%.
SW Mississippi
I have an electric coop. Our rates have been steady. I don’t have natural gas.
Gasoline prices right at $3.00/gallon.
How serendipitous – my bills happen to be spread out on the kitchen table as we speak, and I file back 3 years so I just grabbed 2020 to compare.
Sundance, remember your warning about natgas cost in New England – in fact specifically blueMA where I am? You knocked it out of the park.
2020: gas $296, electric $64
2023: gas $424, electric $113
Oh and during the intervening years I kept bringing the thermostat down as far as I could get used to…
I cover the utilities for 2 places in northwest AR. My “gas” bill is from propane. We research in September 2022 for the projected cost of propane per gallon. Our trusted and lowest priced dealer informed us the lp gas was going to rise considerably in the fall and 2023. We paid at 30% higher than the last yearly fill. We have a 1000 gal tank. In October 2021 we paid -+ $2.46/gal. In October 2022 we paid -+ the same with a huge discount from ordering in the “off” season. We will not need lp gas until next fall. We have had a light winter. Price now is -+ $2.62.
My granddaughter lives in a 1000 sqft house I own. Her natural gas bill is at least $40 higer than last year at the same time when we had a more nomal winter. Her thermostat is on 68. Gas consumption is same. Just higher cost.
I pay 2 electric bills. One is a rural bill (mine). For the SWEPCO/AEP provider has increased from $0.037 to $0.064. The rural electric is an average residential electricity rate of 11.54 cents per kilowatt hour. Of course, they add “that is ?? much % lower than the national average. So is the mean income for AR.
My homes are furnished by 2 separate electric providers, 1 natural gas, and 1 lp gas. All the providers have increased their charge considerably.
Both families are very mindful of how they use the utilities. We do not run up the thermostats or run electric gadgets non stop.
My families in other states (TX, AZ, ID) report a noticeable increase in the energy costs.
I live in Central Florida. I haven’t cut on my heat. I had to go without air all last summer. Light bill was never under 350. This month my light bill went up . Very depressing. Dreading late spring.
Have you looked into increasing insulation in your home? Some of its super easy to install. You can apply bubble wrap to windows with water and it keeps it cooler and adds insulation.
Natural Gas 81% increase from last year
Electricity no change
This is my first December/January in South Carolina – electric bill was $200 for 1700 sq ft (and we had some record setting cold the past month). We are in a co-op. We replaced all the appliances and HVAC when we moved in so probably more energy efficient. Thermostat is set at 64 at night and 70 to 72 during day. All electric, no gas.
Dominion Energy VA/NC. My electric bill is the same rate as last year. Both were a little over 13 cents per kWh.
However, that rate changes during summer months and the rate is higher the less electricity used. So, when I used 165 kWh in September, the October bill was at 17.5 cents per kWh.
Just got my electric bill. I have electric heat. I live in the northeast and didn’t even turn my heat on until December 10. My friends make fun of me because my condo is so cold. This month other than about the first week of the month which dropped down to the single digits at night has not been that cold. I keep my thermostat at a high of 63 but lately 61. I was away for a week so I turned it down to 57 while I was away.
$416 for the month. The highest I have ever paid in the dead of winter was $277 so basically it’s doubled and if I lived like most people I’m sure it would be much higher. I live alone, hardly ever cook and do laundry maybe once per week. Crazy!!!!
November-$107
December-$240
January-$450
Central Virginia
Really cold week during Christmas- otherwise pretty mild
Year to year electric (Evergy) and gas (Atmos) bills in Kansas are nearly identical.
Bismarck ND…
Our balanced billing per month has gone from $110.00 a month to $185.00 per month…
South Central Wisconsin, gas bill is up 40% since January 2021. Electricity has been steady, but they got approval for like 5% increase this year.