August 4, 2008 Heating oil could cost MA residents an extra billion dollars Play video

(Katie Daly, NECN: Worcester, MA) - It may be the last thing on your mind during the summer, but in just a few months you could be shelling out big bucks to heat your home this winter. A new report says it's going to cost a bundle.

Inside the Worcester community action council. The calls are already coming in.

Jill Dagilis is the president of the council. Every winter, it helps thousands of families find the money to heat their homes. This year, with heating cost on the rise and a slumping economy the number of people applying for heating assistance could skyrocket.

Last year and the year before we broke all previous records --and we know with the escalating costs its going to be worst this year. With the New England winters we can pretty much predict that its going to be one of the toughest winters for people in terms of what they experience.

A new report released Monday says it could cost Massachusetts residents who heat their homes with oil or natural gas nearly a billion dollars more this winter-compared to last.