Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Orrville utility director warns residents of higher winter bills as gas costs surge
Summary
Utility Director Brediger told council the city's power plant has been operating after weather disruptions and warned residents to expect higher bills because year-to-date gas costs are expected to approach $1.3 million; he said markets that normally run near $3/mcf spiked over $60/mcf and that a transmission-system peak may yield a $6 million-plus saving to customers.
Utility Director Brediger told the Orrville City Council on Feb. 2 that the municipal power plant has been running for about two weeks after weather-related outages and that customers should expect higher electric bills this winter largely because of higher natural gas costs.
Brediger said the city burned about the same amount of gas last January but paid only "a couple of hundred thousand dollars" then, while this year the gas cost is expected to be closer to $1.3 million — an amount he said is roughly what was budgeted for all of 2026. He said gas markets that normally trade near $3 per thousand cubic feet (mcf) had recently spiked "over $60/mcf." Brediger also said the transmission system set a peak that will likely produce a saving to customers in excess of $6 million.
Brediger told council that rate adjustments are not needed at this time and noted that space heaters are less efficient than conventional heating systems. He framed the higher bills primarily as a consequence of larger market forces and higher usage, not as an immediate result of a city rate increase.
Council members did not pose a recorded follow-up vote on utility rates during the meeting. The minutes show the city will continue to monitor market conditions and return to council if staff recommend rate changes or specific mitigation measures.
