To the editor,

Re: Sunday’s article on the cost of gas from the cold snap we had.

The article on the gas price of this last cold snap is way out of the normal. We have had some bad times in the past and prices never jumped. Sure our gas bills were higher and also the electric bill was higher. But not the unit price. Only the higher usage price.

Remember winter blizzards where temps were below 0 for several weeks and unit price never jumped. I know you have seen this also. So why now?

The article Sunday talked about the possibility of a 10-year payout to recoup the overbearing cost. The payout will have customers paying $5-10 more a month during this period. Whooo! That is scary because every winter we have several cold snaps which means a 10-year payout will compound every year. So last winter is $5 extra for 10 years then this winter another $5-10 for 10 years and boom! People are broke and cannot pay.

I am a senior citizen on social security and I cannot afford the blatant price jumps and no way to tell KGS to shut it off after a 5% jump.

OK, the article bypassed the real source of the problem. Like all other news and papers have overlooked. KGS has to recoup the money they spent on the gas to distribute. Absolutely no one has gone to the source of the well head provider as why price went so high (price gouging is what I call it). The well head provider is source and no one has gone above Black Hills or KGS. If the well head price jumped over 300%, did the farmers who own the land automatically get 1/8 to 1/4 of the production get their share of the higher profits?

Now I have been with KGS for all my adult years and have always had my bills on monthly average. When it first started, KGS stated that any winter overcharge would be covered by KGS.

I failed to mention that I worked oil drilling rigs from 1967 to 1986 when at that time oil collapsed and put everyone out of work in our area. I became a tool pusher for Texas Energies and have dealt with farmers on water rights and their share of the possible well.

Points I am trying to point out: 1. KGS and others have always carried the override on winter storms before. 2. KGS and other providers clearly say they were charged the higher price. 3. No one that I have seen has commented on who charged KGS the higher prices. 4. No one has gone to the source of the well head management to find out why the price jumped. 5. How does a homeowner and senior citizen stop the gas service if we cannot pay now or later for it. 6. People cannot have compounded bills every year. 7. Bad thought: if this continues then I would have to promote global warming and not try to stop it.

Steve Fellers 

Great Bend