MATT OLBERDING
Lincoln Journal Star
Unprecedented winter weather in Texas has caused oil and gas prices to rise.The frigid temperatures increased fuel demand but also halted wells and refineries across the state. Texas' rare cold snap left millions without power last night in controlled outages.Â
Black Hills Energy customers in Nebraska are facing some significant rate increases to pay for costs the company incurred to keep furnaces and fireplaces running during the extreme cold in February.
Black Hills officials told the Nebraska Public Service Commission during a workshop Tuesday that the utility spent $80 million in Nebraska to purchase natural gas from Feb. 12-18 â more than it spends in a typical year. Over the past five years, the company never spent more than $13 million on gas for the entire month of February.