In a semester filled with rent checks and spring break vacation bills, students can take comfort in lower heating costs for the winter season.
“It’s been a relief to save some money on my bills this year,” UW-Madison junior Lara Vojnov said.
Whereas frigid temperatures and cold winds usually cause heating bills to soar during winter months, Madison residents are finding themselves saving almost 40 percent compared with last year, Steve Krauss, spokesman for Madison Gas and Electric Co., said.
Dan Presser, spokesman for Alliant Energy, elaborated.
“It’s basically a principle of Economics 101,” he said. “Drilling companies went out to collect more natural gas last season for the harsh winter and now they are left with an increase in supply for this season.”
According to Presser, this has left heating bills down an average of $319 for December, January and February combined compared to last year.
For students, the savings can feel even greater. “Last year I was paying around $90 per month, but the most I have paid this year has been $22,” UW senior Jon Schwier said.
Senior Catie Kopischke noticed the savings on her first bill of the season. “We haven’t paid nearly as much this year. Its so much warmer outside so we just haven’t used the heat as often.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determined that Wisconsin has recently gone through the warmest November through January on record. They also predict another El Niño episode to affect the United States, in particular causing the “northern Great Plains to experience warmer than normal conditions [in the winter season of 2002-2003].”
The Wisconsin State Climatology Office recorded “zero days below zero” from Dane County Airport for the period November through January. Traditionally Madison has 20 days below zero up to this point.
Data was not available for February, but the airport has only seen 35 days below zero since 1960, indicating that the current month sees the warmth of the spring season.
Even better news for students is that wholesale natural gas prices, down 60 percent since last season, are expected to remain low for subsequent years.
“In January 2001, the average heating bill was $251, but in 2002, that dropped to $82,” Presser said.
Krauss also reminded students that although prices are expected to remain low as a result of the glut of natural gas this year, “the prices are completely dependent on the weather. Prices have plummeted [for the heating season of 2001-2002] but could quickly jump again if winter hits the Midwest cold and early next year.”
When asked about the accuracy of the report for next year’s winter season, Lyal Anderson, manager of the Wisconsin State Climatology Office said, “Its just a matter of waiting to see what happens. Weather reports aren’t that accurate to begin with, but your best bet is to check with the statistics from years past to see that we are likely to experience colder weather than this year.”
