SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (KFVS) – Following our lengthy cold snap, many people are probably worried about the numbers they’ll see on this month’s heating bill.
Ameren said the investments the company has made in Illinois should keep the cost from skyrocketing.
The geology of southern Illinois allows Ameren to store lower-priced natural gas below ground for use during colder weather, where it is available when gas prices skyrocket during storms.
“There is only so much physical capacity to get the gas from where they produce it, to the customer,” explained Ameren Sr. Director of Gas Technical Services Brad Kloeppel. “So we saw prices, for instance, the gas we have in the ground is around the price of $3 or $4 per unit. Prices spiked to over $70 per unit during this cold spell.“
Ameren has a storage facility in Williamson and Randolph Counties.
They estimate it could save more than $100 a year in price increases to Illinois customers.
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