Deliveries of propane for residential and commercial uses in Wisconsin, as well as coal to the state’s power plants, are already behind schedule, and that could cause problems for the upcoming winter if the weather is as cold and snowy as it was last year, said Bill Oemichen, the president and CEO of the Cooperative Network, which represents approximately 600 cooperatives in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Another propane price spike similar to last year — a gallon of propane jumped from $1.25 to nearly $5 — is possible because a quality remedy hasn’t been found for the pipeline closure that was partly responsible for last winter’s shortages, Oemichen said. The quality or lack of rail service will help determine how much the price jumps, he added.

The good news is that 53 percent of propane consumers have already locked in the price they will pay for winter fuel compared with 42 percent last year, Oemichen said.

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