Winter weather leads to rise in natural gas use, prices in Perryville

The City of Perryville is urging residents to “make every effort to conserve gas usage” as winter weather causes natural gas prices to “surge to record high levels.”

It has been suggested prices could be as much as 60 or 70 times higher than normal beginning Saturday, Feb. 13, according to a Friday news release from the Perryville City Clerk’s office.

“The extreme frigid temperatures across the entire Midwest and eastern portion of the country, coupled with potential wellhead freeze offs and the ice storm in the Texas and Oklahoma area are causing unpresented natural gas usage,” as stated in the release. As a result, natural gas pipelines are implementing restrictions in order to maintain operational capacity.

The extremely high natural gas usage along with pipeline restrictions is having a direct effect on natural gas prices, according to the release.

The City of Perryville expects the period of increased gas prices to continue for the next several days and said notice will be provided as soon as this increase has ended.

For more information from the City of Perryville, visit https://www.cityofperryville.com/394/City-Clerk or call (573)547-2594.