Last winter’s heating costs were bad. This year could be worse, with Chicago-area gas bills expected to spike another 30%

It may cost hundreds of dollars more to stay warm this winter in Chicago and the suburbs, with rising natural gas prices and ongoing ratepayer-funded repair work projected to raise bills by as much as 30% over last year.

Residential customers of Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas and Nicor Gas will all likely feel the pricing heat as temperatures drop, adding to the broader inflationary pressures weighing on many households.

“It’s looking like it’s going to be a really tough winter for consumers,” said David Kolata, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit Illinois watchdog group. “Gas prices are significantly higher than they were just a few years ago.”