I don't use any of those, except for propane in the small tanks that I use for outdoor cooking.

The price of gasoline was down to $5.79, but the last time I bought it - a month ago, it was $6.39, and so this is a good trend.

If we do not heat the house in the winter, it will still be at least in the mid 60s indoors. I've lived without heat in the winter before, and it was not bad. If I get cold, I make soup or bake something.

I've heard that the current nation-wide diesel supply is less than 30 days.

I only use gas and a little propane for my travel trailer, gas grill, fryer, and Ooni pizza oven and haven't had any trouble getting that. Propane hasn't really increased in price much either.

I'm a Yankee and we're already being warned by our power supplier that they fear there won't be enough gas to supply heat throughout the entire winter season. I've lived in New England for several years of my long life and there's never been such a warning issued. It's rather ominous!

I'm in eastern PA, and apparently we're the second largest producer of natural gas (which is what we heat with), after Texas. So no shortages here, although the price has certainly gone up.

Winter, that's an interesting story you bring up.

An article I found describes one problem, maybe the same one you mention or a different one, concerning a possible situation concerning natural gas for electricity production. Apparently, there's an infrastructure problem of long standing, a lack of adequate pipelines and gas storage facilities in the Northeast.

The consequence is that utilities in the area have become accustomed to buying gas in the spot market (meaning, buying today for delivery now, not a long term or future arrangement). That worked fine in normal times with gas being generally available at normal prices. With the gas shortage in Europe because of geopolitics, there's a shortage in global gas markets, spot prices are at high levels, and gas is being sent (from the US and elsewhere) to Europe. In the face of how that will affect this winter's open market spots buying costs, I think what the local utilities are signaling is that customers should expect price spikes in the coming months as their gas procurement costs for power plant use spike upwards.

We are in the NE. We are fortunate that we have geothermal so no oil. Our propane tank is full and is used mostly only in emergency. And we have our wood stove and about 2 cord of wood so I think we are ok. I was talking to neighbors and stunned to find out that oil prices are running over $5/gal. Yikes!

Yes, Elmer...that's the background of this mess and you're quite correct about it causing rate hikes. However...we've been tolerating the rate hikes for the last couple of years and now I fear that we may suffer other consequences by experiencing power reductions. One can only hope that if that becomes necessary that the power company will broadly publicize specific times that they intend to lower their output.

Unfortunately...for me...my abode is all electric with my heat being the biggest draw during cold weather. I'm always conservative in nature...throwing on an extra sweater...or an extra blanket...but that does nothing to protect my water heater or other electric equipment. If the power goes off for any period of time...I throw the breaker to the water heater so it won't be affected by a power serge when the power returns. I learned a very valuable lesson some years ago when I lost a new water heater to such an event.

W PA Our camp is heated by propane. I haven't heard of any shortages. Propane has come down in price from earlier this year.

There shouldn't be any reason for a shortage of gas ether. I just went out today to the shopping center and the well on a homeowners property was flaring.

" There shouldn't be any reason for a shortage of gas "

The disruptions and turmoil of world energy prices and supplies have been major news items for much of this year.

Elmer I wasn't talking about the world. W PA is rich in natural gas, oil and coal.

20 days estimated US supply of diesel fuel left: 2-Nov-2022.

Hope that estimate is untrue..

Gas and petroleum and distallate products are a global market, not local. Just like most everything else. I have no doubt that your state is crisscrossed by pipelines. If the products produced are in demand and can be sold for higher prices elsewhere, that's where they'll go. The fact that there is local production will not protect an extraction area from market prices elsewhere or supply shortages everywhere.

Wow, this is really surprising to me.......I had no idea there were these kinds of shortages forecast. Here, propane and gasoline prices continue to rise, though slowly (gas is about $6.35/gal), but I haven't heard of any projected shortages.

Personally, I'm all electric, though in a few days I'll also have a propane tank to power a stand-by generator. Hopefully I'll never need it refilled because I'll never again have a prolonged power outage.

functionthenlook, here's an article from a few days ago that may help you better understand the regional and global nature of energy products. The article covers expected diesel fuel shortages and dramatic price increases in the Midwest and Northeast (includes your area) caused by a variety of reasons, including increased exports to Europe. Price increases flow through to transportation costs and ultimately consumer products since trains, trucks, and boats all use it.

Diesel fuel is the same thing as "fuel oil", a petroleum product used in many Eastern region and East Coast homes homes for heating. Wholesale prices are the same because it's a product with two distinct uses. Diesel fuel at a gas station is normally more expensive than fuel oil because road taxes are added to the price.

Diesel shortages

Colorado. Just got a notice there will be a natural gas rate hike. My bill last month was $33, so even if it doubles. 🤭 If they were to run out of natural gas, we could put in an electric water heater and solar panels.

The NG company has done an interesting thing with the most recent increase request before the board of public utilites. They have requested an increase as of sometime in February but then added a little 'before that if needed'. We have had all of our utilities request hikes as most did not seem to realize that would be needed from comments of outrage that have been posted.

Natural gas utilities and some electrical utilities in a different way are granted monopoly status for many valid reasons in the best interests of the populace but in return are subject to more regulation than most other businesses. The most important item that's regulated (from a customer standpoint) is the prices they're allowed to charge. How it works in most places is that they must procure the commodities they provide and pay market prices to do so. They're entitled to be reimbursed for what they pay plus earn a profit element for management, administration, and a small margin on the pass-through. Customer prices increase because procurement prices increase. There's also a reimbursement factor allowed for building and maintaining the infrastructure that provides the services.

When the wholesale market price for gas goes up 25%, for instance, other than to the extent of long term supply contracts (which are limited in practice), the customer price must also rise proportionally. For the utility company to say in a rate filing with a PUC that they want a rate hike in February or sooner if needed, they were saying they anticipated an increase for what they pay but didn't know exactly when.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-not-going-to-run-out-of-diesel-fuel-fact-check-25-days/

https://www.al.com/business/2022/11/is-there-a-diesel-fuel-shortage-coming-are-we-going-to-run-out.html

https://www.verifythis.com/article/news/verify/gas-prices-verify/will-us-run-out-of-diesel-fuel-in-25-days-fact-check/536-6ca84fc6-8518-4a71-b07c-c5258bbacc55

There were at least 5 refineries shut down in 2020, at least one permanently (due to not being profitable), and another, in Philadelphia, permanently in 2019 (from a fire). I think there was another damaged by a hurricane but not sure when or if it is operating now. I haven't seen anything about any of them coming back online, so I wonder how much that is also contributing to low supply of diesel along with increased gas prices.

This area for several years the gas company has been allowed to pass through the cost of the gas plus a percentage. This is an additional charge over and above the two pipeline upgrade charges and something called WNAR. The summer usage surcharge should have ended but did not.

At least it is there and there are few gas outages vs the electric company but I do wish, and this is petty, that in early spring they would stop marking the line for replacement along with placing flags as they have for the last two years. Lawn services pay little attention and those wires do break windows when they go through screens.

function, you seem to have misunderstood my comment.

I pointed out to you that the conditions that affect YOU and everyone else don't simply happen within 100 miles of one's front door, as you suggested was your understanding. I said disruption and turmoil in global markets affect supplies and prices and are at the root of the problem. I never suggested any supplies was running out. I don't think the pages you linked are particularly relevant.

Markets often react emotionally rather than rationally. Fear and greed being major factors. The article I linked mentioned that some supplies that were destined for Europe had been redirected to the US because price panics here had raised prices above those prevailing in Europe.

" This area for several years the gas company has been allowed to pass through the cost of the gas plus a percentage. "

I think you'll find this component of cost has always been the case for your gas company. When power generation by electrical utilities was more the rule rather than the exception that it is now, the same was true for them. In areas such as mine where the electric utilities were required to divest of most of their generating operations, the same cost plus return pricing applies to their remaining operations, power distribution, procurement from third party sources (where still applicable) and maintenance of the grids.