Lower natural gas prices saved Pennsylvania customers more than $30B over 10 years, report finds

Due to decreased natural gas prices, Pennsylvania residential, commercial and industrial customers saved more than $30.5 billion between 2006 and 2016, a Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) report released Thursday said.

The report, “Everyday Energy for Pennsylvania,” analyzed the benefits the shale revolution across the Marcellus region has provided to end-use energy consumers. It discusses shale energy production’s role in increasing disposable income, encouraging economic investment and revitalizing communities.

“From the small family farms sprinkled across rural Western Pennsylvania to the sprawling urban industrial areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, lower fuel prices have helped Pennsylvanians save over $30 billion in the past decade,” Mike Butler, CEA’s Mid-Atlantic executive director, said. “While it is easy to take many of these benefits for granted, it is important to remember that each of us has a stake in making sure we meet our energy needs.”

According to the report, residential users saved approximately $13.3 billion, while commercial and industrial users saved roughly $17.2 billion. The report credits increased production and new technologies for the lower prices.

“CEA strongly encourages all of Pennsylvania’s elected leaders to embrace the benefits and growth potential that all energy production, especially natural gas, brings to families, farms, and factories throughout the Keystone State,” Butler said.