Wisconsin Residents to Pay More this Heating Season

Wednesday, September 28th, 2022 -- 8:01 AM

(Evan Casey, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin residents will likely pay hundreds more to heat their home this winter, a trend that has increased for the second year in a row.

According to Evan Casey of Wisconsin Public Radio, it's likely to impact low-income families across the state and nation, leading to an increased demand for energy assistance programs.

Homeowners and renters nationwide are expected to see a 17.2 percent increase in their heat bill this winter compared to last, according to an estimate from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, or NEADA.

A September report from that association found a 35 percent increase in estimated winter heating costs from the 2020-2021 winter heating season to the 2022-2023 season.

The increase will "put millions of lower income families at risk of falling behind on their energy bills and having no choice but to make difficult decisions between paying for food, medicine and rent," according to Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA.

A spokesperson for WEC Energy Group, which serves more than 4.6 million customers across the Midwest, said the typical Wisconsin customer will likely pay around $20 to $30 more per month this winter season. 

"We recognize our responsibility to serve customers by working to keep bills as low as possible," a WEC spokesperson said in an email. "We use a multi-pronged approach to limit the impact of sudden price changes and deliver reliable energy all year long. The price we pay for gas is the same price customers pay, there is no markup."

But the NEADA report found the total cost of home heating would increase from $127.9 billion to an estimated $149.9 billion this winter season.  "The additional costs will fall hardest on lower income households," the report said.

The increase is largely being seen because of a spike in natural gas prices. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects the surge to last through the winter, given that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reduced overall supplies while global consumption remains high, according to NPR.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.