POUGHKEEPSIE – The frigid winter temperatures
that have lingered over the Mid-Hudson Valley have sent natural gas usage
to all time records. Central Hudson Gas and Electric reported that on
Sunday, February 15, their customers set a new usage record with 127,143
thousands of cubic feet and again on Thursday, February 19 with 128,386
thousands of cubic feet. The previous record for usage was 126,711 thousand
cubic feet set on January 27, 2005.
A typical home heating with natural gas uses 120,000 thousands of cubic
feet.
Utility company President James Laurito said degree-days, a measure of
cold weather, for the month of February so far are 30 percent higher than
that of a normal year. That cold weather has increased customer use of
natural gas this month by close to 24 percent as compared to a normal
year.
