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Heating bills expected to be higher this winter

A natural gas furnace and a water heater in a utility closet.
A natural gas furnace and a water heater in a utility closet.

Residents in Indiana and the rest of the U.S. are likely to see higher heating bills this winter. That’s according to the  U.S. Energy Information Administration.

This winter is expected to be colder than last year and people will be using more natural gas for heat.

Natural gas prices are up right now because of increased demand due to the war in Ukraine and less production. There’s also less natural gas in storage than usual because of the need for heat this January.

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues, including  this series on climate change and solutions.

The EIA forecasts that Midwesterners will spend nearly 33 percent more on natural gas, 8 percent more on electricity, and 5 percent more on propane compared to last winter.

Several electric utilities that rely on natural gas plants have already  asked the state to temporarily raise rates because of fuel costs.

Contact reporter Rebecca Thiele at  rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at  @beckythiele.

Rebecca Thiele covers statewide environment and energy issues. Before coming to Bloomington, she worked for WMUK Radio in Kalamazoo, Michigan on the arts and environment beats. Thiele was born in St. Louis and is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.