Outrage over heating bills

Rising prices are forcing customers in areas of the Western U.S. to pay as much as three times the normal rate to for natural gas. ABC News’ Elizabeth Schulze has the response from angry residents.
1:23 | 01/27/23

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Transcript for Outrage over heating bills
REPORTER: This morning, cities across the West feeling the heat as natural gas prices skyrocket. - You need to go see what's going on with the bill. REPORTER: Customers facing serious sticker shock after home heating costs ballooned by as much as 300% in January. - Last month was high. $180 is normal for this time of year, but it was over $700 when I got it. REPORTER: The City Hall in Deming, a small town near El Paso, was forced into lockdown after officials started getting threats from people now forced to choose between paying for heating or groceries. - We're waiving all late fees and disconnect fees till after March. REPORTER: Meanwhile, in California, SoCal Gas charging five times more per gas unit this month compared to January of last year. The state now promising to move up payment on natural gas credits, while LA County has called for the attorney general to investigate the price hike. It comes as global natural gas prices are dropping, leaving many wondering why bills in the Western US are rising. According to a recent report from Natural Gas Intelligence, the cold snap in the West has pushed demand to historically high levels, while US supply is still stunted by a 2021 pipeline explosion in Arizona. Now, the good news-- demand likely hit its peak last month, meaning those bills should start going down in February.

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