February 15's Producer Price Index data published by the federal government showed that January’s prices for electric power were up, on average nationally, year-over-year, by 6.5 percent for residential customers, 7.1 percent for commercial customers, and 11.4 percent for industrial customers.
And January’s prices for natural gas were up by 25.1 percent for residential customers, 30.9 percent for commercial customers, and 46.2 percent for industrial customers.
The last year’s rise in natural gas prices has been having a big impact. January’s prices for natural gas paid by electric utilities were up 90.3 percent.