A report by the Consumer Energy Alliance, an industry energy group, Thursday reported Pennsylvanians saved more than $30.5 billion between 2006 and 2016 thanks to increased natural gas production.

Residential users alone saved almost $13.3 billion, while commercial and industrial users saved upwards of $17.2 billion, the report, titled “Everyday Energy for Pennsylvania,” said.

The report examined how the shale revolution across the Marcellus region has provided benefits to the Keystone State’s end-use energy consumers by boosting disposable income and economic investment, as well as revitalizing communities.

Other highlights from the report include--

-- In 2008, at the beginning of the shale revolution, prices for natural gas in Pennsylvania peaked at $10.39 per thousand cubic feet and steadily decreased to just $3.72 by 2016.

-- Half of all Pennsylvanians rely on natural gas as their primary heating fuel and a growing number of electric generation facilities are utilizing natural gas to power the state. Electricity accounts for nearly half of the natural gas consumed in Pennsylvania.

-- Nearly 1.6 million Pennsylvanians, or 12.9 percent of the population, live in poverty. On average, Pennsylvanians spent $3,108 for their energy needs in 2016. For those living at or below the poverty line, this translates to at least 25.6 percent of their income going toward energy expenses.

-- Pennsylvania’s abundant energy resources have spurred economic investment and brought jobs to the state. Studies have tallied nearly 322,600 jobs in Pennsylvania that provide nearly $23 billion in wages to Pennsylvanians.

-- In 2017, the median annual salary for an employee at one of Pennsylvania’s top oil and natural gas producers exceeded $113,000. These wages support local economies and grow small businesses. The report attributed almost $44.5 billion in economic impact from the state’s oil and gas industry.

-- In 2017, high production rates in the Marcellus region generated high demand for pipeline transport of natural gas supplies. Because of this increase, Pennsylvania saw the oil and gas pipeline industry grow 153.5 percent – creating jobs for over 21,000 workers.

Click Here to read the report.

[Posted: Sept. 6, 2018]

9/10/2018