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February 14, 2005
Naperville, Ill. – Although the heating season is nearly two-thirds over, Nicor Gas wants its customers to know it isn't too late to implement energy tips to help reduce natural gas bills. Nicor Gas files 67 cents per therm for February, which was down from last month's 72 cents per therm and up from last February, which was 60 cents per therm.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the moderation in natural gas prices for this month is due to unusually mild winter weather in the Midwest and Northeast earlier in the season, which reduced heating demand on a national level. This also caused more natural gas in storage, a total of 2,021 billion cubic feet at the end of January. Storage levels are 15 percent higher than one year ago and 17 percent higher than the five-year average.
John Snell, Risk Management Incorporated, one of the industry consultants Nicor Gas relies upon for information regarding natural gas purchasing decisions said, "With only a few months left in the heating season, we may not reach the highs previously predicted earlier in the season."
"But we have the potential of volatile prices if we have continued cold weather here and in other parts of the country, then prices may increase as storage levels drop to keep pace with demand," Snell continued.
EIA's Outlook
The EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook for February reports expenditures for households using natural gas to heat their homes to remain at 10 percent higher than last year for this month -- this is the same estimate as last month's EIA report.
Using Energy More Wisely
With that in mind, Nicor Gas encourages customers to practice efficient use of energy to help manage energy costs. The company recommends the following things homeowners can do now to help make their homes run more efficiently.
These are a sampling of helpful energy tips from Nicor Gas' "Keeping the Warmth In and the Cold Out" booklet, available online at nicorgas.com:
- Replace air filters in your furnace every month.
- Wrap your water heater tank with an insulated blanket.
- Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
- Bake in glass or ceramic.
- Use ceiling fans, clockwise in the winter.
- Install a programmable thermostat.
- Use a humidifier to make your house feel warmer.
- Avoid placing lights near your thermostat.
- Seal seams, cracks and openings around windows, doors and baseboards.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when shopping for new appliances.
As weather moderates and gets warmer and we have higher outdoor temperatures it may cause homeowners to open a window or use their screen door. That could cause unnecessary gas use and is not a wise energy choice.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy recently added new energy saving tips to their Web site, energysavingtips.gov. Nicor Gas customers can access this practical information by visiting the "Gas Cost" section of nicorgas.com and then "Energy Efficiency Tips."
Nicor Gas is one of the nation's largest gas distribution companies. Owned by Nicor Inc. (NYSE: GAS) a holding company, Nicor Gas has provided safe and reliable natural gas services for 50 years. The Company serves two million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit the Nicor Web site at www.nicorgas.com. | 
