The cold winter months can be blissful: filled with sparkling snow and crackling fires, but they can also be harsh, bringing blizzards, freezing pipes, and cold fronts. With these conditions comes an increased demand for our energy systems – families rely on energy for keeping their families warm and putting cooked food on the table. However, families who struggle to pay for basic needs face a financial burden during this time of year.
In the United States, 13% of households live below the Federal Poverty Level, with the
29% right above the FPL still struggling to afford basic needs.
So, as winter weather rolls around, having affordable and reliable energy, like natural gas, is important to keeping families safe and costs manageable.
How does this affect you and your family?:
Heating your home doesn’t have to break the bank: During this time of year, families across the country have to decide between heating their home or paying for their groceries. No family should have to weigh basic needs against another in order to get through the winter. That is why having access to affordable and reliable energy is essential this time of year – so all families can keep their lights on and homes warm without sacrificing cost.
Did you know: Homes heated with natural gas or propane are expected to save $2 billion this winter, compared to homes heated with electricity, which will cost $4 billion?
Those savings make a difference. Affordable energy helps lift the burden of expensive energy bills, allowing families across the country to focus more on staying warm and spending time together rather than dealing with rising costs.
Winter weather demands more out of our energy systems – so they must be reliable: From blizzards in the north to sudden cold fronts in the south, families never know what this year’s winter season will bring them – except their large energy bill. When temperatures drop, energy infrastructure works harder to ensure families stay warm. But if these systems are unreliable, households can face outages and prices can jump.
Without natural gas, families across the country would have to spend $160 billion more on winter heat and electricity under an all-electric system.
However, with affordable fuels like natural gas, prices remain the lowest, providing cost security for families when managing their budgets.
Natural gas’s consistent low prices = reliability for families.
If energy is reliable and affordable, bills are more manageable and families are more confident in their budgets. If not, families remain uncertain, leading to stress towards their monthly payments.
Americans can count on natural gas’s reliability and affordability: Natural gas not only powers your heat, but every other part of you daily life. Think about the amount of times you’ve been worried your car won’t turn on, or that your favorite restaurant’s lights won’t be on when you arrive.
Chances are, you haven’t thought about it much.
That’s how reliable natural gas is. So reliable that you never even think about it.
During this winter season, know that you and your family can county on natural gas to keep your family warm and costs predictable, so it’s one less thing to worry about and more time to spend together during this cozy time of year.
The CEA Bottom Line:
Winter should be a time spent with loved ones, not worrying about how you’re going to heat your house for the next month. Staying warm in the winter months is a basic human need, and one that natural gas can provide. With natural gas, costs stay affordable, energy more reliable, and families closer.
So, no matter how cold the winter becomes, know that natural gas provides a reliable and affordable source of energy that households can count on – season after season.