Wis. utilities see lower heating costs for winter

Wisconsin utilities projecting lower costs to heat homes with natural gas this winter

• On 12:53 pm EDT, Thursday September 3, 2009

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The price of natural gas is at its lowest point in nearly 7 and a-half years. That has Wisconsin utilities predicting lower costs to heat your home this winter.

The price of the fuel has dropped by nearly 80 percent since a year ago. Reduced manufacturing because of the economic downturn and surging national gas supplies are factors in the price decline.

Alliant Energy Corp. in Madison is telling customers that home heating costs could drop 20 percent to 25 percent during the six-month heating season. Madison Gas and Electric Co., a subsidiary of MGE Energy Inc., is predicting a cost cut of at least 15 percent, while Wisconsin Public Service Corp., a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group Inc., of Green Bay is projecting a drop of about 15 percent to 20 percent.

We Energies of Milwaukee says only that a price break is possible. We Energies is the trade name of Wisconsin Electric Power Co. and Wisconsin Gas LLC, the principal utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy Corp.