AGA Chair Says Natural Gas Utilities Play a Crucial Role in Keeping Our Nation Strong
Washington, D.C. – American Gas Association (AGA) Chair Kimberly S. Greene today addressed the CFA Society of New York to outline the essential role that natural gas utilities play in supporting our nation’s economic security. Greene, who is Chairman, President & CEO of Southern Company Gas, shared with the group of investment analysts how the U.S. gas utility industry is a crucial partner in keeping energy affordable and reliable and to achieving our country’s ambitious environmental goals.
“We are incredibly proud of how natural gas and our infrastructure contribute to America’s economic stability, national security and cleaner energy future,” Green said. “Our industry supports 4.3 million jobs delivering life sustaining energy to 187 million Americans and 5.5 million businesses every day. The natural gas utility industry has an ambitious innovation agenda which will be essential to achieving our nation’s environmental goals.”
AGA has participated in this event with the CFA Society of New York continuously for more than 40 years. Nearly 100 people attended the virtual event. AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert also addressed the group, bringing her national and global perspective from a career working in the domestic and international energy industry.
Harbert said, “In the midst of this reckless war in Ukraine, we are seeing, in real time, the disastrous fallout from the decision by some European nations to curtail investment in natural gas. They have paid as high as $43 per MMbtu during this war because they turned their backs on natural gas and the delivery infrastructure. Our nation’s strong energy position and substantial domestic supply of natural gas has inoculated Americans from that volatility. Natural gas prices for America’s homeowners and business remain stable and abundant domestic supplies will undoubtedly continue to support stability abroad.”
Earlier this week, AGA released its 2022 Playbook, bringing much needed clarity to the debate about our energy future in the U.S. Greene’s presentation to the CFA Society drew upon these facts:
- Households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $1,041 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.
- The low cost of natural gas has saved families a total of $140 billion over 10 years.
- Commercial and industrial customers have saved over half a trillion dollars over the last decade by using natural gas.
- Nearly 21,000 businesses sign up to use natural gas each year.
- More than 876,000 residential end-users were added in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020.
- Natural gas efficiency and the growth of renewable energy have led to energy-related carbon dioxide emissions hitting 30-year lows.