Break on bills ending

Ben Morgan didn't hear his furnace running as much as usual in his Cape Girardeau duplex over the last few months. He kept his thermostat at the same 69 degrees as last year, but his natural gas bills have been slightly lower this year.

"I've tried to keep the thermostat down to conserve and keep my bill consistent," said Morgan, who lives alone. "So far it's been working out."

The combination of mild temperatures -- December temperatures were six degrees above average and cheaper natural gas helped lower bills for some utility customers in the region over the last few months. However, meteorologists with the National Weather Service predict the area won't see any more mild weather this winter.

Just a few weeks ago the weather service had predicted above-average temperatures for the next couple of months, but meteorologist Chris Noles in Paducah, Ky., said adjustments were made.

Noles said the mild weather was partially due to El Nino, a periodic warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean. But El Nino has been dissipating more quickly than anticipated, he said, which means the mild weather for Southeast Missouri may be gone.

"Honestly, I don't think it's going to warm up. The current pattern we've shifted into we'll have for a while," Noles said.

The recent mild temperatures and cheaper natural gas have been good news for the East Missouri Action Agency, a not-for-profit organization that provides services for low-income individuals and families in eight Southeast Missouri counties, including Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties. The agency distributes money for heating assistance through two state-funded programs -- the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Emergency Crisis Intervention Program.

"This time last year we were in dire straits," said Shanna Ashton, an EMAA community information specialist. Last year, EMAA's energy assistance funds -- about $710,000 -- were depleted by April.

Since Oct. 1, EMAA has provided energy assistance for almost 1,600 Cape Girardeau County residents. The agency will continue to provide assistance until March 30, or until it runs out of funding. Last year, more than 1,700 families in Cape Girardeau County received energy assistance.

LIHEAP guidelines only allow a household to receive funding once, and the amount depends on how many children and adults live in a household. The program doesn't have a set amount of funding, Ashton said. "The state lets us know when it runs out."

While the state funded ECIP helps households that receive disconnection notices, Missouri's cold weather rule -- which lasts from Nov. 1 to March 1 -- prohibits utility companies from disconnecting services when the temperature is forecast to drop below 32 degrees for the following 24-hour period. This year ECIP received about $618,000 is allotted to the eight counties it serves.

"Last year I think people really panicked around this time when they saw their high utility bills," Ashton said. "It hasn't seemed to be that bad this year."

A significant reduction in the cost of natural gas -- about 16 percent or $23 less per month for an average residential customer -- helped Cape Girardeau and Scott counties' Ameren customers this year. The wholesale cost of natural gas was more in 2005 because of supply disruptions caused by hurricanes.

While the cost of electricity hasn't changed in 20 years, Ameren did file for a rate increase with the Public Service Commission in July. The PSC is expected to decide in June whether to increase the rates.

While the bills have been smaller, most of the Salvation Army's annual allotment of $20,000 to help pay energy bills has been used, said caseworker Tina Rodgers. The allotment was used up earlier in the year last year.

"There's still working people who are having trouble paying their utility bills," she said.

That's also been the case for First Call for Help, an information and referral program for social services in Cape Girardeau County.

Denise Wimp said the organization received 103 calls from Cape Girardeau County residents who needed help paying utility bills from November to the middle of January. From November 2005 to the middle of January 2006, the program had 86 calls for utility assistance.

Mike Cleary, a spokesman with Ameren, said it's too early to determine if the average homeowner's winter utility bill will be lower than last year. "We've still got a lot of winter ahead of us," he said.

Trecy Cunningham heats her Sedgewickville home with propane, which hasn't changed in price from last year.

Every five to six weeks during the winter, Cunningham said, she has to refill her tank. After six weeks, her tank is still about 15 percent full.

"That's pretty good. I guess we haven't been using the heat as much," she said.

With temperatures to remain average or below average for this time of year -- highs in the 40s and lows in the mid-20s -- agencies are preparing to expect more calls for assistance.

"When we have these cold snaps we'll definitely hear from people a lot more," Ashton said.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246