Metropolitan Utilities District Manages January Cold Snap While Protecting Customers from Higher Natural Gas Costs

During the recent January cold snap that brought sustained extreme cold across the Midwest, the Metropolitan Utilities District (M.U.D.) safely and reliably delivered natural gas service while taking deliberate steps to protect customers from unusually volatile energy markets.

As freezing temperatures increased regional demand, short-term natural gas market prices rose sharply. M.U.D.’s system remained stable throughout the event, and customers experienced uninterrupted service.

“Our first priority is always the safety and reliability of service for our customers,” said Mark Doyle, President of Metropolitan Utilities District. “At the same time, we actively manage our system and supply portfolio to limit customer exposure to sudden and extreme market price swings.”

Through long-term planning, diversified gas supply strategies, and the use of M.U.D.-owned peak supply resources, the utility significantly reduced its reliance on high-priced short-term market purchases during the coldest days of the event. As a result, M.U.D. estimates that approximately $27 million in natural gas costs were avoided, directly benefiting customers.

These actions are part of a broader strategy that includes long-term supply contracts and infrastructure investments designed to strengthen reliability and manage costs over time. Together, these efforts help ensure customers are not fully exposed to short-term price volatility during extreme weather events.

M.U.D.’s disciplined approach to system planning and cost management is one of the reasons the utility consistently ranks among the lowest-cost natural gas providers in the nation, according to independent benchmarking such as the Memphis Light, Gas and Water survey of major U.S. utilities.

“Our customers count on us not only to keep the heat on during extreme weather, but to do so responsibly and affordably,” Doyle said.

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About M.U.D.: The mission of M.U.D., headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is to enhance quality of life by delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective natural gas and water, essential for today and future generations. Overall, M.U.D. serves more than 600,000 people in the metro area. M.U.D. is the fifth largest public natural gas utility in the United States, serving customer-owners in Omaha, Bennington, Fort Calhoun, Springfield, Yutan, and Bellevue. M.U.D. also provides high quality drinking water to customer-owners in Omaha, Bellevue, Bennington, Carter Lake, La Vista, Ralston, Waterloo, and the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District (which supplies water to Fort Calhoun). For more information, visit mudomaha.com.