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Home >Manufacturing Page > 1994 to 1998 > Average Energy Prices

Average Energy Prices: While Natural Gas Prices Were 6 Percent Higher in 1998 than in 1994, Most Energy Sources Were Priced Lower in 1998

Average Prices of Purchased Energy Sources, 1994 and 1998
(Nominal Dollars per Physical Units)
Subsector and Industry
Coal 
(short tons)
Electricity  
(kWh)
Distillate (gallons)
Residual (gallons)
LPG
(gallons)
Natural Gas (1000 cu ft)
  1994 1998 1994 1998 1994 1998 1994 1998 1994 1998 1994 1998
Food
32.21
31.78
0.054
0.051
0.76
0.46
0.42
0.40
0.62
0.64
2.93
3.03
Paper
40.77
38.87
0.041
0.039
0.64
0.56
0.37
0.35
0.66
0.67
2.61
2.78
Petroleum
26.97
W
0.043
0.039
0.62
0.53
0.45
W
0.50
0.40
2.26
2.54
Chemicals
37.34
37.05
0.034
0.036
0.67
0.58
0.37
0.40
0.40
0.38
2.22
2.44
Nonmetallic Mineral
36.56
35.54
0.048
0.045
0.76
0.60
0.42
0.44
0.64
0.74
2.91
3.03
Primary Metals
47.98
37.28
0.034
0.032
0.63
0.61
0.39
0.33
0.61
0.65
2.80
2.96
Total
41.85
37.14
0.046
0.044
0.71
0.56
0.39
0.37
0.41
0.38
2.65
2.82
W=Withheld
Note: All of the 1994-1998 comparisons are statistically significant. Exceptions are noted by "NS." 
Graph Notes and Sources


blueball.gif (910 bytes)Although distillate fuel oil prices were 21 percent lower in 1998, demand for this energy source was about the same as it was in 1994. See Purchased Energy.

blueball.gif (910 bytes)Even though the average price of natural gas was not significantly higher in 1998 than in 1994, in 1998, manufacturers purchasing their natural gas from nonutilities paid the average price of $2.66 per 1000 cubic feet while manufacturers purchasing their gas from utilities paid the average price of $3.16 per 1000 cubic feet.

blueball.gif (910 bytes)Manufacturers, on average, paid about the same for electricity in 1998 as in 1994. However, those manufacturers purchasing their electricity paid substantially less when the source was  a nonutility.  Manufacturers purchasing from a utility paid on average 4.5 cents per kWh while those purchasing from a nonutility paid an average of 3 cents per kWh.

blueball.gif (910 bytes)Most of the establishments in the Primary Metals Industry purchased their electricity from a nonutility at a substantial discount--less than 3 cents a kWh in 1998.  However, it seems that their utility steam purchases were cheaper than nonutility steam--2.87 dollars per million Btu versus 4.16 dollars per million Btu.


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For specific questions about "Average Energy Prices," please contact:

Stephanie J. Battles
stephanie.battles@eia.doe.gov
Phone: 202-586-7237
Fax:  202-586-0018

For specific questions about the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey, please contact:

 Robert Adler, Survey Manager
 robert.adler@eia.doe.gov
 Phone: 202-586-1134
 Fax:  202-586-0018

Release Date:  July 31, 2002