Government: Colder Winter, Higher Heating Bills Expected

UNDATED - Expect to pay more to heat your home this winter than you spent last year.

That's the message from government analysts who sifted through forecasts for a colder winter and slightly higher energy prices.

The Energy Department said Thursday that household bills from October through March are likely to be higher for all four main heating fuels - natural gas, electricity, heating oil, and propane.

Consumers got a break last winter, when temperatures were mild. Government meteorologists are expecting a colder winter this time in the Northeast, Midwest and South.