Summer electric bills won't rise much

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I'll believe this when I see it, and not before.

Summer electric bills won't rise much
Fairly stable prices good for consumers and the economy

By Barbara Hagenbaugh
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Finally, some good news for consumers about energy prices.

With electricity costs expected to be up only slightly this summer from last, air conditioning bills likely will not be a shock to the wallet this year, according to data from the Energy Department.

The nationwide average retail electricity price is expected to be up 3% during June, July and August from the same time in 2005. That's about in line with inflation and follows a 4.3% gain last summer, according to the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the Energy Department.

Consumers paid $197 on average to cool their homes during the summer in 2001, the year of most recent data. That summer was the ninth-warmest in U.S. history, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Based on projected electricity prices and assuming similar weather patterns, it would cost families an average $218 to cool their homes this summer.

Although air conditioning costs will vary widely based on location and weather, the likelihood of a small increase from a year ago is good news for consumers and businesses. That's particularly the case given that energy users have been hit by rising costs at the gasoline pump and double-digit gains in home heating in recent years.
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http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20060404/1b_electricbills04.art.htm