Kitsap energy consumers and their neighbor counties just north and south of Seattle pay much less for electricity than elsewhere in the nation, but much more for natural gas.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday that Kitsap and neighbors paid 30 percent less for electricity, but 28 percent more for natural gas for the month of March.
A kilowatt-hour of electricity locally cost .089 cents, while elsewhere in the nation, it went for .127 cents.
For the past five years, local electricity prices have been consistently below national average, according to the BLM.
As for natural gas selling for much more locally, a therm averaged $1.253 in Kitsap and envions, compared to $0.978 nationally.
— Rachel Pritchett
My Cascade Natural Gas bill for March 2012 indicates a price of 83.3 cents per therm. Even if I include the $4.00 per month basic service charge and the Poulsbo city tax of 6%, that still brings the per therm cost to only 94.6 cents.
If the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figure of $1.253 per therm is correct, then some other utility in Kitsap County other than Cascade Natural Gas must be charging much more than Cascade.
I think the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics needs to check their figures.