Heat bills for ND homeowners may be 'frightening'

[flashl]

BISMARCK, N.D.—North Dakota homeowners should brace themselves for "truly frightening" increases in their winter heating bills, judging from the abnormally high natural gas prices that are prevailing this summer, state regulators say.

"This could be a very tough winter, especially if it is a very cold winter," Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer said.

Utility spokesmen said Wednesday that this winter's heating bills for customers who use natural gas may be 30 to 50 percent higher than the previous year's expenses.

Cramer and Commissioners Susan Wefald and Tony Clark said prices for natural gas, which is a common home-heating fuel, have been trending higher this summer, in part because record crude-oil prices are also driving up the prices for competing fuels.

Boston

Sorry, ND Du'ers. You have been given bad news. If the bills will resemble anything like the spikes in NG I've witnessed, by winter, you'll wished you had another job.

[phantom power]

1. This is going to be bad news in all the northern states come winter.

[msongs]

2. the pioneers lived in sod houses using the earth - very green nt

[pscot]

3. They also burned buffalo dung

for heat and cooking. No longer an option.

[Critters2]

6. I know a couple of bison farmers. They must have dung. nt

[newfie11]

8. The price of dung will go up now

Darn speculators

[kestrel91316]

4. The good news is, with global warming the upper midwest winters have been much

milder. At least around Milwaukee.

The past two or three Christmases it has RAINED on my holiday there.........

[emmadoggy]

5. That is true, however,

last winter was a kicker. Started early, ran long, was colder than usual and was very wet (snowy). Still happens.

Even a mild winter is going to hit pocketbooks hard this year.

[grasswire]

7. people will be closing off rooms and living in smaller space.

Those with big kitchens can close off other rooms and live in that one room if they have to. No more big old woodstoves to serve as a heat source, but at least with a lot of activity in one room it will be warm.

[Odin2005]

9. Here in Minnesota my parents won't be able to afford propane for the house this winter.

They live in a rural community about an hour's drive NE of Fargo and are planning on installing a wood-burning furnace in their house,