[meyer]

"We think the market's underestimating the natural gas impact here," David Pursell, an energy analyst with Pickering Energy Partners in Houston. Companies are usually building up the natural gas stockpiles at this time of year to prepare for the winter, when daily use outstrips daily production.

We burned a record amount of Nat Gas this year to generate power. This is probably typical for most of the utility industry in the US this summer. Virtually all new generating capacity in the last few years has been gas-turbine due to the low capital costs and easier siting compared to coal & nuke. Unfortunately, that has brought about a huge demand as well, adding to the lower stockpile situation.

[thackney]

Through June, less gas was used in 2005 than 2004.

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9140us2m.htm