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News Release
Jan. 29, 2004
February Natural Gas Bills High But Headed
Down Slightly;
Low-Income New Mexicans Urged To Access Assistance
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NMHS: Betina Gonzales McCracken
Telephone: (505) 827-6245 |
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Albuquerque: PNM and the New Mexico Human Services
Department are urging low-income New Mexicans faced with high
heating bills to access available assistance from Low Income
Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the PNM Good Neighbor
Fund.
PNM today said the February market price for natural gas
remains high. However, lower average consumption in February
should mean bills will drop slightly from January levels.
February price
Severe weather in parts of the United States has resulted
in increased volatility in natural gas prices in recent weeks.
For PNM customers, the result of these market forces is a
February price of 59.63 cents per therm. Based on average
residential consumption of 127 therms, this will produce an
average bill of $111.08, higher than last February's average
bill of $102.86, when the price was 53.68 cents per therm.
However, this is a slight drop from this month's average bill
of $113.39, based on a per-therm price of 59.01 cents.
The cost of natural gas is a pass-through for PNM. PNM purchases
natural gas on behalf of its customers and passes the cost
directly along through monthly bills.
LIHEAP assistance available
"As the heating costs rise, we expect to help more low-income
New Mexicans make ends meet," said Pamela Hyde, Human
Services Department Secretary. "LIHEAP helps families
keep warm by paying one energy bill over the winter months,
whether it is natural gas, electric, propane or wood."
Hyde said the department was given $8.4 million in LIHEAP
funds for the current fiscal year, which could provide assistance
to 52,000 New Mexico families. So far this fiscal year, the
department has assisted 30,000 families.
Families earning less than 150 percent of federal poverty
can qualify for LIHEAP. This means that a family of three
earning less than $1,908 per month could qualify. LIHEAP applications
are taken at any of the 34 HSD Income Support Division offices
located throughout the state, or by calling (800) 283-4465.
PNM Good Neighbor Fund
The PNM Good Neighbor Fund helps low-income families, elderly
and disabled customers pay their energy bills. It is funded
by the generous contributions of PNM customers and employees
— and funds donated are matched dollar-for-dollar by
PNM shareholders. In most communities, the program is administered
by the Salvation Army.
Last year, the PNM Good Neighbor Fund gave out more than
$600,000 in assistance to more than 7,000 New Mexico families.
More information on the PNM Good Neighbor Fund is available
at PNM.com or by calling PNM customer service at 246-5700
in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Customers outside of
the area can refer to their monthly PNM bill or their local
phone book for the correct telephone number to call.
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