Wichita ? When Kansans get their March natural gas bills, they could see a 20 percent increase. And that could be just a preview of what’s ahead for next winter.

The price of natural gas futures shot up about 40 percent last week and prices are triple what they were this time last year.

“Consumers will see higher prices in March,” said David Springe of the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which represents the public in rate cases in Kansas. “If we have an extremely cold March, that will translate into extremely high bills.”

Kansas Gas Service customers paid an average of $61.67 a month in January, compared with $90.55 by Aquila Inc. customers who used the same amount of gas, according to the Kansas Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities.

Based on current prices, Kansas Gas Service customers could see bills go up an average of $46 a month during the heating season, November through March, next year.