Energy Security: Federal Responses to December 1989 Heating Fuel Shortages Were Limited

Abstract

In December 1989 the nation experienced a severe and unpredicted cold spell, causing an unexpected surge in heating fuel demand and prices. In response to your individual requests, this report examines (1) allegations of shortages of heating fuels during that period, (2) the type of data collected and the analyses performed on heating fuel supply and demand by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA), (3) the impact of delays in processing waivers of the Jones Act on heating fuel supplies (the act requires the use of U.S. vessels to transport cargo between U.S. ports), and (4) the impact of interruptible natural gas contracts on heating fuel supplies and availability (these contracts allow natural gas suppliers to discontinue supplies to nonresidential customers during the winter in exchange for price concessions).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 20, 1991
Accession Number
ADA263259

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of Defense
  • Energy Security
  • Fuel Oils
  • Fuels
  • Geographic Regions
  • Governments
  • Inventory
  • National Security
  • Natural Gas
  • New England
  • Petroleum
  • Petroleum Industry
  • Shortages (Logistics)
  • South Dakota
  • Supply Chain
  • Terminals
  • United States

Readers

  • Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Engineering.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Industrial Economics