WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Across the north country, residents have noticed temperatures going down, and the cost to heat their home going up. So, why are your heating bills breaking the bank?
Watertown and other parts of northern New York have experienced especially cold weather this winter. With a total of 18 days below zero in January, National Grid customers have felt winter’s bite.
“If the prices keep increasing like this, it’s hard manage and budget. It takes away from other things you have to budget because you don’t know how much it’s going to be month to month,” said Lindi Krauss-Morton, National Grid customer.
“The bills have been so high. They went from usually $150 there up to anywhere from $250 to $350. It’s, I mean, insane,” said Megan Cardinell, National Grid customer.
National Grid reports that energy prices are up 37% from previous winters. Spokesperson Jared Paventi explains there is a natural reason for the rise in cost.
“Now that energy demand has increased, the market prices have gone back up. In addition to last winter at this time, we had a much milder winter,” he said.
That increased demand has resulted in an increased cost in monthly National Grid bills.
“I saw that other people were paying even $500 to $800 for costs, and that’s a mortgage, that’s someone’s mortgage,” said Krauss-Morton.
Paventi says that National Grid employees are dealing with the same rise in costs as its consumers.
“As National Grid employees we’re also customers so, we are, we feel it as well,” he said.
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