(MERRILLVILLE) – NIPSCO has announced that their natural gas residential customers will see an increase in their winter heating bills.

Company officials say based on current market projections and assuming normal winter weather, bills for natural gas residential customers are estimated to be 16 percent higher than last winter.

Each year NIPSCO and other Indiana energy companies provide a forecast for home heating bills during the upcoming winter months. Projections are based on market forecasts, supply trends and storage levels as well as normal weather forecasts. If temperatures are colder or warmer than normal, usage amounts and bills could differ.

Over the course of the upcoming five month winter heating season, which is November through March, NIPSCO’s average natural gas residential customers using 625 therms could expect to pay approximately $655 in total over the five month period. This compares to $575 during the previous winter heating season.