Pennsylvania homeowners, small businesses and manufacturers are realizing significant energy savings thanks to natural gas safely and responsibly produced across our region, key facts that were overlooked in the editorial “Why do Pennsylvanians pay higher price for energy?” (Oct. 3, TribLIVE). Natural gas is not priced globally, and therefore varies across regions because of a number of supply and demand factors.
While it’s easy to look at commodity pricing as a snapshot in time, it’s important to understand natural gas market fundamentals are strong and help consumers.
Pennsylvania has emerged as the country’s second-largest natural gas producer, just behind Texas. This shift from energy scarcity to regional abundance has led to cost savings for all Pennsylvanians using natural gas to heat homes, cook food and dry clothes.
According to state data, compared to 2008, Western Pennsylvanians are realizing average savings of 65% to 85% on the purchased natural gas cost — more than $2,200 per household each year.
These savings aren’t limited to in-home use. We’ve also seen more than $14 billion invested in Pennsylvania to build modern and highly efficient natural gas power plants. While sustained energy savings help Pennsylvania families, affordable and reliable natural gas gives manufacturers the competitive edge to expand, create new jobs and move our economy forward — all while dramatically improving air quality.
With the right policies that recognize and place a priority on safely developing and transporting clean natural gas energy resources — including pipeline infrastructure — we’ll continue to unlock shale’s economic, environmental and national security benefits for every Pennsylvanian.
Dave Callahan
Robinson
The writer is president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition.