The EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook finds US households heated with natural gas, propane and electricity face higher heating bills this winter. Homes in the northeast that use heating oil will pay slightly less for the fuel than last year. These price movements are primarily due to changes in underlying commodity prices, with natural gas prices generally higher and oil prices down slightly from last year.

“EIA expects higher prices this winter for homes that heat with natural gas, propane and electricity. Home heating oil prices are expected to be lower than last winter.”

Projected changes in residential expenditures from last winter are:

• 13% higher for homes that heat primarily with natural gas
• 9% higher for propane
• 2% higher for electricity
• 2% lower for heating oil