Boston consumers paid more for gas, electricity; pump prices rose 16% in 2010

Published online Jan 21, 2011 economic development Boston consumers paid more for gas, electricity; pump prices rose 16% in 2010 By PBN Staff BOSTON – Consumers in the Boston-Brockton-Nashua, N.H., metropolitan area paid more for utility gas and electricity in December than the U.S. city average, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday in its Consumer Price Index release. Natural gas prices were 32.4 percent higher in the Boston area than nationwide, and electricity prices were 22.4 percent higher. However, Boston-area gasoline prices, averaging $3.058 per gallon in December, were close to the national average of $3.031. On the year, gasoline prices in Boston rose 16.1 percent, compared with 13.5 percent nationally, the BLS said, noting: “Although the price of gasoline can be volatile from month to month, national and local prices have moved in tandem over the last five years.” Electricity per kilowatt-hour had an average price of 15.3 cents in December, up 1.3 percent from a year earlier. Utility gas averaged $1.427 per therm, up 3.8 percent.