Missouri Attorney General to investigating propane price hikes

The Attorney General’s Office has announced it will investigate the cause of the rise in the price of propane gas. Attorney General Chris Koster acknowledges that he received a request from Senator Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) to conduct an investigation, and says forty consumers have filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division about increases.


Consumers say the price of propane gas has gone from about $1.91 in December to about $5.00 recently.


In a statement Koster says, “Missourians are justifiably concerned about the dramatic increase in propane prices, affecting their ability to heat their homes and care for Missouri-based livestock,” Koster said. “I want to thank Senator Mike Parson and many others who have highlighted this important issue and brought these complaints to our office. We are currently investigating all complaints, and working with businesses and agencies in 9 other states across the Midwest to determine the cause of these price increases.”


On Friday, consumer investigators with the Attorney General’s Office took part in a multi-state conference call with representatives of the propane gas industry. Distributors and analysts say a sharp increase in the export of propane and higher winter consumption have created a shortfall in supplies of domestic propane.