河北农村取暖费为什么居高不下？

Core Viewpoint - The heating cost issue in rural Hebei has become a significant concern following the "coal-to-gas" policy, with many elderly residents unable to afford heating despite the cold conditions [2][4]. Group 1: Heating Costs and Policy Impact - A 100 square meter home in rural Hebei requires 20-30 cubic meters of natural gas daily to maintain a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, leading to daily costs of 63-94.5 yuan, totaling 7,560-11,340 yuan for the winter [2]. - The "coal-to-gas" initiative aims to reduce air pollution by converting coal heating systems to natural gas, but the high costs have become a bottleneck in policy implementation [4][9]. - The average price of LNG in December was 4,063 yuan per ton, down 6.1% month-on-month and 9.8% year-on-year, indicating a trend of decreasing prices in the market [5]. Group 2: Supply and Pricing Dynamics - Despite a sufficient supply of natural gas, the high costs for rural users stem from a complex supply structure, with over 80% of gas sourced from long-distance pipelines, leading to high transmission losses [9][10]. - The price of natural gas in Hebei is higher than in other regions, with the first-tier price reaching 3.15 yuan per cubic meter, and in some areas, it has increased to 3.4 yuan per cubic meter [8][9]. - The government has introduced a price linkage mechanism for natural gas, but the implementation has been slow, and regional price disparities persist [8]. Group 3: Challenges in Rural Gas Supply - The dispersed nature of rural housing increases the cost of gas distribution, as the infrastructure for gas supply is less efficient compared to urban areas [10]. - The decline in subsidies for natural gas has exacerbated the financial burden on rural households, with subsidies dropping from around 1 yuan per cubic meter to as low as 0.2 yuan [12]. - Recommendations for addressing these issues include optimizing subsidy policies, improving gas source structures, and promoting energy efficiency in rural housing [12][13].