Customers Could See Lower Winter Heating
Costs
Low
wholesale natural
gas prices could result in lower heating bills for many this winter. In
much of the country, natural gas utilities periodically adjust rates based on
the cost of natural gas in the wholesale market. In Missouri,
both Missouri Gas Energy and Laclede Gas have lowered rates base on
wholesale fuel prices.
Gas price is
a significant portion of the variable costs that are accounted for in the rate.
Rates also include a utilities fixed costs, such as the cost of pipes and other
infrastructure, that do not vary much over time.
The total
cost of heating is affected by other factors. In particular, the length and
severity of cold periods affects the amount of natural gas used. Even if the
unit price of gas is lower, if more is used because there are more cold days or
colder days, the total paid for gas could go up.
USDA Grants $2.9M to Missouri for Ethanol
Distribution
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Biofuel
Infrastructure Partnership granted $2.9 million to Missouri to increase the
availability of ethanol.
The state
anticipates the grant will aid retailers in the installation of 171 pumps for
fuels that contain ethanol. You can find more about this grant here.
Ethanol is a
type of alcohol used for fuel; for automobiles it is typically blended with
gasoline. Missouri requires most gasoline sold to contain 10 percent ethanol,
though some vehicles can run on fuel that is as much as 85 percent ethanol
(E-85).
$10M Federal
Grant to Aid Missouri-Illinois Bridge Replacement
The federal
government has committed $10 million to the construction of a bridge to replace
the Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana, MO. The bridge links U.S. 54 in Missouri
and Illinois.
Illinois has committed funding for its share of the cost, but Missouri is still
seeking much of the $30 million needed for its share. You can find out more
about this project here.
