cschuldt@nujournal.com
NEW ULM The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission approved a plan to resume normal collection activity and service disconnections under the policies outlined in the New Ulm Public Utilities (NUPU) regulations.
On June 23, 2020, the commission authorized the establishment of the COVID-19 deferred payment plan. Utilities Director Kris Manderfeld explained this action suspended disconnections and penalties until the end of the peacetime emergency. The reason for this action was to relieve customers of a potential hardship during the pandemic.
On April 15, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission tentatively approved regulated utility transition plans designed to move these utilities back to their pre-pandemic customer service practices. This has prompted NUPU to begin the development of similar plans.
Utilities Director
Natural gas is an integral part of our daily life. It is used to fuel our furnaces, cook our food, and heat our water for bathing and cleaning, as well as support our district energy (steam heating) system. We don’t really think about the necessity of having it; we just rely on it. Recently, during the polar vortex that the Midwest experienced, the need for reliable natural gas came to the forefront. With extreme cold temperatures in the South, the availability of natural gas across the Midwest was threatened. Gas wells, power plants and wind turbines experienced freeze outs. With the constraint in supply and the increase in demand, the price for natural gas skyrocketed. New Ulm Public Utilities (NUPU) saw the price increase from $2.60/mcf at the beginning of February to over $188.00/mcf by mid-month. This price increase was not unique to New Ulm but was felt across the greater Midwest. This put a financial burden on our utility and ultimately on our cus
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cschuldt@nujournal.com
NEW ULM New Ulm residents could see February’s gas bills triple from last month because of the recent polar vortex.
New Ulm Public Utilities Director Kris Manderfeld said the polar vortex has resulted in the highest natural gas increase she’s ever seen. Gas prices increased from $2.60 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) at the start of the month to $188 per Mcf during the height of the polar vortex.
The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission (PUC) received a report on the high gas price from Manderfeld during the work session before the regular month PUC meeting.
Manderfeld said the recent cold drove up demand and the gas price. This happens whenever southern Minnesota faces extreme cold, but this time the cold weather impacted the entire country, reaching as far south as Texas. The supply of natural gas was affected.
Feb 23, 2021
Staff photo by Fritz Busch
NUPU is warning the public to expect big hikes to utility bills after the cold February spell.
NEW ULM The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission (NUPUC) will hold a special work session Tuesday to provide information on the recent natural gas price increase due to the polar vortex.
The work session is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the City Hall Chambers before the regular PUC meeting. The work session is intended as an informational meeting to explain the recent jump in natural gas prices.
Earlier this month, New Ulm Public Utilities (NUPU) warned residents their gas bills for February could be the highest in years. Natural gas prices are increasing across the country. When temperatures drop, customers turn up the heat in their homes, increasing the demand for gas.