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Big winter heating-cost savings

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Tinker used 7.3 percent less natural gas this year than over the same timeframe last year. As a result, base officials saved $2.2 million in cost.

While several factors contribute to the savings, officials said the feat couldn't have been accomplished without the conscientious efforts of Tinker personnel.

"Two million, two-hundred thousand dollars is a lot of savings to be used for other needs, but the 7 percent reduction is also a step towards energy independence and national security," said Gene Gallogly, 72nd Civil Engineer Directorate director. "Thank you Team Tinker. We're going to be a leader in resource conservation and we're off to a great start." John Hurd, Tinker's energy manager, agreed.

"It's a big deal because it frees up money we would not otherwise have," he said. "It's all about dollars, but we are using less and headed in the right direction."

In a given year, Tinker uses approximately 1.7-million dekatherms of natural gas to heat the base's facilities, which amounts to $13.6 million. Of that, roughly 400,000 dekatherms are used between December and March.

While December and January had lower natural gas prices in 2008 and 2009 than 2007 and 2008, the big savings happened in February and March of this year, versus the same time last year.

In February and March of this year, Tinker officials paid about $3.60 per dekatherm of natural gas and used roughly 398,000 dekatherms. In 2008, Tinker officials paid about $7.25 per dekatherm in February and March, and used 428,000 dekatherms.

And, due to the milder-than-normal winter, officials said there was more supply than demand.

"There was a reduction in rate, but there was also a reduction in consumption," Mr. Hurd said, "and really, that is the only thing we can control. It's a pretty good marker that we were still able to conserve."

In December 2008 and January 2009, Tinker paid roughly $4.77 per dekatherm of natural gas. The year before, Tinker paid approximately $6.40 per dekatherm.