These households could spend more to heat their homes this winter, federal outlook says

(NEXSTAR) – While some households may spend slightly less on heating their homes this winter compared to last year, others may see price hikes of 20% or more, a new federal report outlines.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration this week released its Winter Fuels Outlook, offering projections of how much households will spend on heating costs and energy consumption. It takes into account the four most common heating fuels used and anticipated average temperatures across the U.S., as well as the potentially historic El Niño weather pattern (but more on that in a moment).

Energy prices and the local forecast impact just how much you will spend on heating your home this winter, the EIA contends. However, the agency overall projects that those who rely on either natural gas or propane to heat their homes “will have lower energy expenditures this winter.” That’s driven by lower fuel costs, according to the report.

Households using electricity or heating oil won’t be as lucky.

The EIA’s outlook suggests that, between November and March, those who use natural gas to heat their homes could spend about 9% less than they did last year, the largest dip across any fuel type. Those using propane may see a roughly 3% decline in costs.

Among homes relying on........

© The Hill