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October 10, 2012. U.S. households are expected to use more heating fuel this winter compared with last winter because temperatures are expected to be near normal this winter compared with last winter’s above-normal temperatures in many parts of the country.

Household natural gas heating demand this winter (October through March) is expected to be up nearly 14%, heating oil up 17%, electricity up 8%, and propane up 17%, according to EIA’s Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook for the 2012-13 U.S. heating season. While demand is expected to be higher than last winter, consumption is forecast to be less than the five-year average for all the major heating fuels except heating oil.

EIA’s forecast for higher household heating demand mainly reflects a much colder winter east of the Rocky Mountains compared with last winter, with heating degree days in the Northeast, Midwest, and South expected to be 20% to 27% greater this winter, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) forecast.

At the same time, supplies look plentiful for most heating fuels this winter.

The full article is available at http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=8310