High Heating Prices a Concern to Energy Sec.

New York, NY —

At a meeting with Connecticut state authorities, the deputy US Energy Secretary expressed concern over the high price of home heating oil and natural gas for the upcoming winter season. Av Harris reports from Hartford.

World Oil prices were already up sharply prior to this year due to instability in places like Iraq -- but then Hurricane Katrina barrelled into the Gulf of Mexico and knocked out a significant amount of refinery capacity, sending energy prices skyrocketing even further.

While Deputy US Energy Secretary Clay Sell says about two thirds of Gulf refineries are back online, it is still going to be an expensive winter, especially in the Northeast, where so many homes are heated by oil.

Sell says right now there are ample supplies of heating oil for this winter in the Northeast, but the department of Helath and Human Services and the Coast Guard will be ready to act in any fuel shortage emergency. Sell says the Bush Administration is also remind consumers take steps to conserve energy in their homes this winter.